REALITY CHECK: Houston government wants more power to override property owners’ rights

HALIFAX – The Houston government is giving themselves an extremely broad and sweeping power to override property owners' rights with a new change buried in the Powering the Economy Act.

The Premier is giving himself the ability to unilaterally exempt mining and resource development projects from rules that protect Nova Scotians’ property rights and land. The change also exempts natural resource developers from paying royalties or from paying for costly remediation when projects end.

This is part of a pattern from this government:

• They were willing to sell off land in provincial parks like Mabou Beach
• They downloaded the cost and responsibilities of coastal protection to municipalities
• They have scrapped the Natural Resources wildlife division, weakening conservation efforts and removed guardrails that protect our land and water.

“Nova Scotians are right to be worried. This government is slashing and cutting programs and protections while giving themselves more power at every turn,” said Official Opposition Leader Claudia Chender. “And the premier isn’t even answering for the harm he’s causing; he spent the last three days in Ontario. If he’s giving himself the power to decide what happens on Nova Scotians’ land and in our communities, the least he can do is to show up. No one has elected him to railroad their rights.”

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