Western Nova Scotia Labour Market Survey

By: Shelley Bellefontaine, Western Regional Enterprise Network

What does the labour market really look like in Western Nova Scotia? We asked the people who know best, the region’s employers.

In March 2026, the Western Regional Enterprise Network (Western REN) launched the Western Nova Scotia Labour Market Survey, reaching out to businesses across our region, from Digby to Barrington. Over eight days, 47 employers responded, representing trades and construction, tourism and hospitality, fisheries and marine, automotive and mechanical services, and small-scale manufacturing. The results paint a clear picture of where we stand and where we need to go.

A Region That Wants to Grow, Despite Barriers

The headline could read this way: demand is not the problem. Employers across the region report moderate to strong hiring expectations over the next 12 to 24 months, with the greatest need in construction, fisheries and marine, and tourism and hospitality.

But growth is being held back by structural challenges that go well beyond recruitment. Employers consistently identify three key barriers: a lack of skilled applicants, difficulty attracting workers to rural areas, and limited applicant pools. These aren’t new problems, we know, but the survey puts numbers and clarity behind what we have long suspected.

Housing availability emerged as a significant factor, particularly for workers who would need to relocate. An aging workforce and youth outmigration continue to shrink the local labour supply. And while employers report having the capacity and willingness to train, they often lack the time, resources, and structured supports to do so effectively.

An Untapped Training Pipeline

One of the survey’s most striking findings relates to training capacity. Across all respondents, the ratio of journeypersons to apprentices sits at approximately 1.4 to 1. Under current apprenticeship standards, each journeyperson can supervise up to three apprentices >> meaning the ideal ratio is closer to 1 to 3.

This gap is significant. Many employers already have the qualified people in place to train the next generation of workers, but that capacity is going largely unused. The data suggests that if we can improve the matching between employers and candidates, reduce administrative barriers, and provide stronger supports for employers taking on apprentices, we could meaningfully expand the workforce pipeline without needing to build new infrastructure from scratch.

The trades experiencing the greatest shortages are construction, mechanical and automotive, and electrical, coincidentally the same ones where this untapped capacity exists. That alignment represents a clear and practical opportunity.

Openness to Newcomers

Another encouraging finding is the level of employer openness to hiring newcomers to the region. A majority of respondents indicated they are either willing or potentially willing to bring newcomers into their workforce, with the strongest receptivity in trades, hospitality, and fisheries.

However, employers also made clear that success depends on having the right supports in place, including employer guidance on hiring processes, settlement services for workers and their families, and clear and accessible pathways for both parties. Immigration is not a silver bullet, but when paired with proper integration supports, it represents a meaningful avenue for workforce growth.

Emerging Opportunities on the Horizon

Beyond the core industries, the survey revealed early-stage interest in defence-related supply chain opportunities. While most responses reflected curiosity rather than readiness, the interest is there, and it signals a direction worth pursuing. Businesses identified awareness of procurement pathways, access to certification processes, and the ability to scale their workforce as the key requirements for participation.

Regional business activity remains most closely aligned with fisheries, housing and construction, and natural resources. But emerging alignment in defence and clean technology sectors suggests the economic landscape is beginning to diversify, albeit slowly, but with potential.

Why This Matters

This survey matters because it moves the conversation about workforce development from anecdote to evidence. Often, decisions about training, recruitment, and economic development have been informed by what we assume is happening rather than what the data shows.

The findings confirm that Western Nova Scotia’s workforce challenges are primarily about supply and pipeline, not a lack of economic demand. Employers want to hire. They want to train. They want to grow. But they need help closing the gap between available labour and the opportunities that exist.

That means investing in apprenticeship supports, strengthening immigration pathways, engaging students earlier in their career exploration, and developing sector-specific workforce strategies that align with our regional strengths.

It also means continuing to collect this data. The labour market is not static, and neither should our understanding of it be. Western REN recommends repeating this survey in Fall 2026 to expand the sample, track trends, and continue building the evidence base that our region needs to make informed decisions.

Download the Full Report

The complete Western Nova Scotia Labour Market Survey 2026 report, including detailed charts, data breakdowns, and strategic recommendations, is available for download here.

For questions or to get involved, email Shelley Bellefontaine at sbellefontaine@westernren.ca or phone 902-740-3843.