Friends of Nova Scotia
NS at the Olympics
The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics are running February 12-28 and while Canadian athletes are representing the country in their respective sports, Nova Scotia has been wooing visiting crowds at Atlantic Canada House.
Whether cheering on Team Canada’s Sidney Crosby or Sarah Conrad, providing world-class musical entertainment, feeding the masses or introducing the world to Nova Scotia’s burgeoning wine industry, representatives from the province have put in long days (and late nights) at what has been described as one of the top Olympic destinations.
During the Olympics every Canadian province sponsors a day giving each region an opportunity to showcase its culture, food and investment opportunities. On February 16, Atlantic Canada House hosted Nova Scotia Day at the Olympics. From a “Premier’s Breakfast,” to the ongoing Kitchen Party and a special performance by DRUM! at the evening’s medal ceremony, Nova Scotia took centre stage.
Read more about Nova Scotia Day.
Find videos, photos and updates at the Nova Scotia at the Olympics Facebook fan page.
Premier Dexter wrote about the benefits of Nova Scotia’s presence at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in a recent op-ed article.
New Investment Credit to Strengthen NS Manufacturers
Nova Scotia has introduced a program that will strengthen the competitiveness of the province’s manufacturing and processing sector and help stimulate the province's economy.
A new 10 per cent investment credit will allow businesses to improve operations and become more competitive, more productive and more sustainable.
"Nova Scotia businesses are facing critical changes and an increasingly competitive environment," said Economic and Rural Development Minister Percy Paris. "At a time when the economy needs stimulation, this investment is a strong signal of support to this sector."
The program, originally announced by Premier Darrell Dexter last fall, is an incentive to manufacturers and processors. It offsets the cost of purchasing new technology, machinery and equipment, and the savings are reinvested into the businesses.
For more information, visit gov.ns.ca
HSIA Named Best in Class for 7th Consecutive Year
Halifax Stanfield International Airport (HSIA) has been ranked the world’s best airport for overall passenger satisfaction in its class (under five million passengers) for the seventh straight year.
HSIA was also named by passengers as the second-best airport in North America, regardless of size, behind Austin, Texas.
The 2009 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) ratings, based on passenger surveys, were released today by Airports Council International (ACI), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
“This remarkable achievement is a testament to the combined efforts of everyone here at Halifax Stanfield,” says Tom Ruth, President & CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA). “It’s amazing what can be accomplished when all of our many partners – airlines, retailers, and service providers – as well as our own HIAA employees and our wonderful volunteer hosts, dedicate themselves to providing the very best airport experience they can.”
In its eight years of participating in this global airport ranking program, HSIA has earned a total of 25 awards – 16 first place, 7 second place and 2 third place.
HSIA served 3,417,164 passengers in 2009.
Millbrook First Nation Projects
Two hospitality projects worth more than $30-million are in the advanced planning stages for the Truro Power Centre on the Millbrook Mi’kmaq First Nation.
Partners, Millbrook Chief Lawrence Paul and Glenn Squires, CEO of Pacrim Hospitality Services Inc (PHSI), announced recently that planning for a new concept restaurant/retail facility and a major destination attraction—an indoor water park and hotel—at the Truro site are “well-advanced and will be signature additions to the provincial hospitality industry.”
A 30,000-square-foot indoor water park and adjacent new 100-room hotel with amenities will take 18 months to develop “but will be worth the wait,” Chief Paul and Mr. Squires said. “This project is unique in eastern Canada” and will be a year-round attraction and destination resort that offers Atlantic Canadians and visitors a new motivation to travel within the region.
Ground breaking is expected late this year with opening in the spring of 2012.
The 150-seat Atlantic Canada-themed restaurant will be located in an existing building at the Truro Power Centre and will be the flagship project for what is anticipated to be a number of restaurant and gift shops throughout the region. Work on the restaurant project will begin next month with the opening in June.
Aquaculture Farm Receives Funding
A state-of-the-art, aquaculture company in Centre Burlington, near Windsor, N.S., is expanding into new markets across Canada and the Northeastern United States with help from the province.
A repayable loan of $700,000, and deferring principal payments on the company's current provincial loan of $750,000, provided in 2008 through the Industrial Expansion Fund (IEF), will give Sustainable Fish Farming Canada Ltd. additional working capital.
The company's European sea bass grow quickly, creating faster market readiness than other fish species and are already in Nova Scotia and Ontario markets.
Co-owner Jeremy Lee immigrated to Nova Scotia from the United Kingdom over six years ago through the Community Identified Stream of the provincial nominee program. Mr. Lee has extensive experience in the development, manufacturing and installation of leading-edge water-treatment systems for marine and freshwater fish farms, hatcheries and aquariums. He is currently sharing some of this expertise with another facility in the province.
Read more about Sustainable Fish Farming Canada Ltd., and the markets it serves.
Open to the World
Halifax, with its vibrant arts and culture scene, is often referred to as a creative centre. But did you know this is also true of the city's health research cluster? In fact, there are surprising examples of overlap between these two sectors. "Art and science are not in opposition," says pioneering brain surgeon Dr. Ivar Mendez in a recent article in Nova Scotia Open to the World Magazine. "They are synergistic." To learn more about how Nova Scotia's health researchers use creativity and simulation to advance skills development, you can find the latest issue of Open to the World online.
Canada’s First Advanced Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy
Patients at Halifax Regional Municipality’s Capital Health District are the first in Canada to benefit from the next generation of deep brain stimulation technology. Dr. Ivar Mendez, head of the division of neurosurgery, and his team, have begun implanting an innovative new neurostimulator in patients receiving the treatment at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.
Deep brain stimulation is a way of treating to treat disabling motor symptoms like stiffness, tremors and slow movement caused by neurodegenerative disorders, using mild electrical pulses delivered to specific areas of the brain. Neurosurgeons at the QEII have been performing deep brain stimulation for about 10 years. But until now, patients required surgery as often as every eight months to replace the batteries for those neurostimulators. The variety of electrical pulses delivered in order to block the brain signals that cause symptoms was limited.
Read more about this medical advancement and the Brain Repair Centre.
St. FX Student Named 2010 Student Entrepreneur N.S. Champion
Jeremy Flynn, owner of Flynnweb and full-time student at St. Francis Xavier University, has been named the 2010 Student Entrepreneur Nova Scotia Champion by national charitable organization, Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE), and proud program supporter, CIBC.
Since 2008, Jeremy has owned and operated Flynnweb, a web and graphic design firm, specializing in building brands and affordable marketing material for the small business owner.
The final round of competition at the 2010 ACE National Exposition in Calgary on May 12th, 2010. The National Champion will receive a $10,000 cash prize and represent Canada at the international level of competition, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards.
Order of Nova Scotia
The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Order of Nova Scotia is Friday, March 19.
The Order of Nova Scotia is the highest honour awarded by the province. This award is about people who value people.
"There are people in the province who are doing positive work and making the province a better place for today's families," said Premier Darrell Dexter. "These people should be honoured and recognized by their peers, those they help, and by the province of Nova Scotia."
Nomination forms may be picked up at all Access Nova Scotia Centres. They are also available from Province House, offices of all members of the legislative assembly, offices of members of parliament, and municipal offices. For more information, contact the Protocol Office at 902-424-4463, e-mail orderofns@gov.ns.ca or visit the website at gov.ns.ca/prot/order.htm .
News at a Glance:
Green Firm Credits Advisors
Robert Nivens of Halifax’s Carbon Sense Solutions is a born entrepreneur who strongly believes that the best way to ensure success in your business is to have a strong advisory panel of experts from diverse backgrounds. Via the Chronicle Herald.
Atlantic Windows and Doors One Step Closer to Caribbean Market
Amherst, N.S.-based Atlantic Windows and Doors is exploring new markets in Bermuda and the Caribbean. Over the years, the firm’s ongoing investment in research, development and impact testing have helped it produce top-quality windows and doors capable of meeting the strictest hurricane standards.
End to Nursing Home Deposits
Nova Scotian seniors making the move to assisted living in a nursing home environment will no longer be required to pay security deposits. This recent announcement is part of the province’s commitment to making life more affordable for seniors and their families.
Funding for Youth Programs
15 groups from throughout the province received funding recently to support programs that help young people avoid getting involved in crime. Each of the 15 groups received $12,000 at a ceremony held at the Black Cultural Centre in Dartmouth.
Rural Leaders Conference, Growing Healthy Communities
Leaders from Nova Scotia’s agricultural and rural organizations will gather in Halifax March 4-6 to discuss how they can strengthen their rural communities through community leadership, buying local foods, rural development, volunteer recruitment and more.
Cancer Care Funding
A $10.1-million investment by the province will support the work of the Nova Scotia Cancer Centre radiation therapy project.
Pennsylvania Research with N.S. Connection
Cholesterol, heart disease research utilizes product of Nova Scotia’s Ocean Nutrition Canada Inc.
