---
canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/economy-security-in-nova-scotia/"
title: "Economy Security in Nova Scotia"
author:
  name: "CSLS"
  url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/"
date_published: "2026-07-02T13:37:58+00:00"
date_modified: "2026-07-02T13:37:58+00:00"
post_type: "research"
summary: ""
post_tag:
  - "economic security"
  - "IEWB"
  - "Index of Economic Well-Being"
  - "Nova Scotia"
  - "poverty"
  - "provinces"
  - "social safety net"
  - "unemployment"
country_focus:
  - "Canada"
province_region:
  - "NS"
research_theme:
  - "Economic Well-Being"
  - "Regional Economic Development"
featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp"
status: "publish"
---

# Economy Security in Nova Scotia

Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/economy-security-in-nova-scotia/

# Economy Security in Nova Scotia

[Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2008-05-1.pdf)

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Cite this report as:

Osberg, Lars, and Andrew Sharpe. 2008. “Economy Security in Nova Scotia.” CSLS Research Report 2008-05. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/economy-security-in-nova-scotia/

## Authors:

-
Lars Osberg
Department of Economics, Dalhousie University

-
Andrew Sharpe
Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS)

## Report 2008-05

July 2008 66 pages

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## Abstract

## Résumé

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This report constructs an index of economic security for Nova Scotia using the CSLS methodology, covering the 1981–2007 period. It examines four components of economic security—security from unemployment, illness, single-parent poverty, and old-age poverty—and compares Nova Scotia’s performance to Canadian provincial averages. Nova Scotia ranked third out of ten provinces in 1981 and fourth in 2007. The report also examines three components of the social safety net: minimum wages, social assistance benefits, and child benefits, finding that welfare benefits in Nova Scotia declined more sharply in real terms than the Canadian average.

Ce rapport construit un indice de sécurité économique pour la Nouvelle-Écosse à l’aide de la méthodologie du CSLS, couvrant la période 1981-2007. Il examine quatre composantes de la sécurité économique — la sécurité face au chômage, à la maladie, à la pauvreté des familles monoparentales et à la pauvreté chez les personnes âgées — et compare la performance de la Nouvelle-Écosse aux moyennes provinciales canadiennes. La Nouvelle-Écosse s’est classée troisième sur dix provinces en 1981 et quatrième en 2007. Le rapport examine également trois composantes du filet de sécurité sociale : le salaire minimum, les prestations d’aide sociale et les prestations pour enfants, constatant que les prestations d’aide sociale en Nouvelle-Écosse ont reculé plus fortement en termes réels que la moyenne canadienne.

[Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2008-05-1.pdf)