Building the green economy and creating green jobs is a powerful, sustainable, and achievable solution to the economic and environmental challenges we face. We can provide long-term employment for thousands of Nova Scotians through rapidly expanding our renewable energy sector, developing sustainable transportation options, and increasing energy conservation.

These times of global economic upheaval require a government that will manage Nova Scotia’s finances with the utmost care and intelligence. To address this crisis, we need to focus on budgetary measures that:

• create long-term jobs and business opportunities
• strengthen and develop our sustainable green economy
• focus on local small businesses, industries, and farms, and local markets

With a commitment to sustainable industries, sustainable employment, and sustainable outputs, the Green Party plan will create thousands of green jobs for Nova Scotians.

Renewable energy

The Green strategy for renewable energy includes:

• Feed-in-tariffs to guarantee a fair price for producers of renewable energy
• Loan guarantee program to reduce the cost of borrowing for qualified projects
• Infrastructure upgrades to increase the ability of the grid to manage intermittent renewable energy, including smart grid technology

Action from government to move these areas forward will create a thriving industry, providing business opportunities and jobs for entrepreneurs, manufacturers, engineers, farmers, financial professionals, researchers, and others.

Sustainable Transportation

Nova Scotia has an urgent need to develop sustainable transportation. The first step is a comprehensive provincial plan. This plan must examine all options, including urban and rural public transit, inter-city rail, light rail options within HRM, and even the potential for ocean based transportation along the coasts.

Funding for sustainable transportation is a Green Party priority. Nova Scotia’s support should at least match the Canadian average for provincial per capita funding ($21).

Rebuilding our rail infrastructure and upgrading our public transit systems will provide substantial employment in the construction and manufacturing sectors and improved transportation will support local industries and farms.

Conservation

There is much work to be done to upgrade the efficiency of Nova Scotia’s homes, particularly when it comes to heat loss. The existing EnerGuide program moves us in the right direction, but we must move much faster.

The Green plan for home energy efficiency builds on this program with:

• immediate steps to significantly increase the number of technicians certified to do energy efficiency audits
• investment in education for trades people
• distribution of information to home owners on the combined federal and provincial funding opportunities for energy conservation and efficiency
• expansion of the provincial program to identify and support energy conservation and efficiency options for renters.

These measures will support jobs in a thriving construction sector, and in related businesses.

Energy Security

The Green plan for provincial prosperity brings green industries to Nova Scotia not only to create local jobs and wealth, but also to provide secure sources of energy to Nova Scotians. Reliable access to energy is a cornerstone for economic sustainability. As fossil fuel resources deplete and prices become unstable, we need to secure our future with strong local production of renewable energy, viable transportation, and an increasing local food supply.