Nova Scotia readies for possible provincial election campaign launch

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston appears poised to call a snap provincial election Sunday.

Houston is expected to meet with Nova Scotia Lt.-Gov. Arthur LeBlanc at his official residence in downtown Halifax at noon local time.

Following his official visit, the premier is then expected to speak at a rally at a pub in the Halifax suburb of Bedford later today.

Liberal Leader Zach Churchill and NDP Leader Claudia Chender also have events planned in the provincial capital.

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An election call would come months ahead of the province’s fixed election date of July 15, 2025, but would not be a surprise.

Houston signaled back in June he was no longer committed to the date despite enshrining it in the first piece of legislation his government passed after taking power in 2021.

The Progressive Conservatives are looking for a second consecutive mandate after sweeping the Liberals from power that August — a victory that was the result of a nearly single-minded focus on the need to fix the province’s ailing health-care system.

This time around, the opposition Liberals and NDP are expected to highlight what they say has been the government’s failure to make good on its health-care promises.

They’re also likely to go after the Tories for what they describe as the government’s neglect of other pressing issues, such as the province’s lack of affordable housing and the rising cost of living.

The Progressive Conservatives currently hold 34 seats in the 55-seat legislature.

The Liberals hold 14 seats, the NDP have six, and there is one Independent.