Information About Nova Scotia

Known as Canada's Ocean Playground, Nova Scotia has a centuries-old relationship with the sea, which has produced an abundant fishery that has attracted immigrants to this province - the most easterly point on the North American mainland - since 1604, when the first European settlements were established. In one of those settlements, Annapolis Royal, North America's oldest social group, the Order of Good Cheer, was born.

That spirit has carried forward for the past four centuries in the tradition Nova Scotians have of greeting visitors with the Gaelic saying "a hundred thousand welcomes."

And water remains an important part of life for the province's residents. The sea, which virtually surrounds Nova Scotia, continues to serve as the first North American stop for vessels from around the world and contributes to Nova Scotia being the leading fishing province in Canada.

Long before the provincial capital city, Halifax, became a destination point for tens of thousands of immigrants in the early 20th and late 19th centuries, and prior to Nova Scotia joining Confederation in 1867, the future province experienced a dynamic and sometimes turbulent history. The British and French fought for control over its territory in the 18th century. During the dispute, the French-speaking Acadians conducted a prosperous trade with their New England neighbours - an economic activity foreshadowing Nova Scotia's current trade patterns.

In addition to its vibrant resource-based industries in fishing, mining and forestry, the province of over 3,800 coastal islands is the location for more than 2,000 manufacturers, many situated in the almost 50 industrial parks across the province.

Access Nova Scotia offers a range of services you can complete online. Renew your licence plate sticker, purchase a birth certificate, update your home address and much more using the links below.