Department of Labour and Workforce Development

Profile and Contact Information

The Department of Labour and Workforce Development focuses on labour issues, employment rights and responsibilities, adult
learning, apprenticeship training and trade qualification, skill development, public and workplace safety, industry regulation,
licensing and pensions. It consists of 16 divisions and over 300 employees.
General Inquiries : 424- 5301

Minister
The Honourable Mark Parent is Minister of Environment and Minister of Labour and Workforce Development.
Contact Information: 424-6647

Deputy Minister
Margaret F. MacDonald is the Deputy Minister of Labour and Workforce Development.
Contact Information: 424-4148

Adult Education
The Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) offers programs for adult Nova Scotians who want to improve their literacy skills.
Programs are tuition-free and offered at more than 150 sites across the province.
Contact Information: 424-6160

Alcohol & Gaming

This division protects the public interest in gaming, the sale of liquor, and film distribution by licensing for bingo operators and
suppliers, ticket lottery operators, liquor establishments and places of amusements such as video outlets, theatres and pool halls.
Contact Information: 424-0717

Apprenticeship Training and Skill Development

This division manages the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Program, ensures that the training offered in training institutions and in
industry is of the highest quality, ensures that the training offered is current and relevant to the needs of Nova Scotia’s employers
and apprentices, administers the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act and General Regulations, and is responsible for the
development and maintenance of apprenticeship and certification examinations.
Contact Information: 424-5721

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Building and Fire Safety
The division is responsible for the quality of the Building and Fire Code programs and are involved in the national development of
the codes and standards and the training of the municipal officials. Eight provincial acts require the approval of the Office of the Fire
Marshal before the facilities can be occupied or re-licensed. These include nursing homes, correctional facilities, places of
amusement and sales of alcohol, schools, and university education buildings. The Office also provides training and fire plan
programs for these facilities, carries out fire investigations throughout the province, has 287 fire chiefs who are local assistants to
the Fire Marshal, and supports provincial programs for public fire education.
Contact Information: Public Safety 424-5721/Fire Marshal, 424-5721

Labour Market Agreement/Labour Market Development Agreement (LMA/LMDA)

The Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA ) and the Labour Market Agreement (LMA) were formally signed between the
Government of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia on June 13, 2008. The Province will assume responsibility for LMDA
program design and delivery on July 1, 2009.

This LMA/LMDA division will coordinate Labour Market Agreement and Labour Market Development Agreement programming.
Workforce development programs help employed or low-skilled people prepare for upcoming opportunities. These programs affect
clients in many departments and these departments will work together on implementing the agreements.
Contact Information: 424-6991

Labour Market Partnerships

This division acts as a catalyst for strategic investment in skill development in the labour force by identifying opportunities and
challenges, and using collaborative models to support strategic investment using consultation, strategic planning, policy
development, targeted initiatives and labour market information; collection, dissemination, research and analysis.
Contact Information: 424-7764

Labour Services
This division provides administrative support to the following agencies, boards, commissions and tribunals: Crane Operators Appeal
Board; Elevators and Lifts Appeal Board; Labour Relations Board and Construction Industry Panel ; Labour Standards Tribunal;
Occupational Health and Safety Appeal Panel; Pay Equity Commission; and Power Engineers and Operators Appeal Committee. The
Conciliation Services section offers a variety of services and programs to encourage harmonious labour practices, including impartial
conciliation/mediation and preventive mediation, as well as administrative support to the Non-Binding Arbitration Program.
Contact Information: 424-4311

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Labour Standards
The Labour Standards division deals with enquiries and complaints from the public about how the provincial Labour Standards Code
applies to specific employment situations. Labour Standards staff help to facilitate settlements of complaints, and when required,
investigate and work to achieve compliance in areas where the Labour Standards Code has not been adhered to. The division also
promotes an understanding of the Labour Standards Code and respective legislation through continuing education.
Contact Information: 424-0648

Licenses, Permits and Applications

This division is responsible for the licensing of equipment and persons who meet a standard set in legislation. This includes but is
not limited to propane facilities, elevators, elevator mechanics, power engineers crane operators, fuel technicians. Permits are
provided when high hazard work has been approved to proceed, low hazard work requires a registration. The division is also
responsible for the certification process of crane operators, power engineers, low hazard propane activities such a barbeque tank
fillers and propane truck drivers, and firefighters.
Contact Information: Public Safety/Fire Marshal, 424-5721

Occupational Health and Safety

This division concentrates its efforts on safe and healthy workplaces and work practices, and safety standards protecting the general
public. It focuses on the promotion of the internal responsibility system, which acknowledges the responsibility of employers and
employees for workplace health and safety.
Contact Information: 424-5400

Pension Regulations
This division administers and enforces the Pension Benefits Act, which applies to private sector and municipal government pension
plans that have members in Nova Scotia. The division performs a number of functions, including registering plans and their
amendments, reviewing annual filings from plan administrators; investigating complaints of plan members, and providing
information and support to people on pensions.
Contact Information: 424-8915

Technical Safety
This division is responsible for the approval and operation of equipment and the certification and licensing of individuals in the areas
of boiler and pressure vessels, elevators, power engineers and cranes, electrical and fuel safety. This division is reviewing the
current technical safety legislative framework. The review focuses on how the current legislation may be streamlined to reflect
technological change, improve consistency, and meet the needs of a changing economy now and in the future, while ensuring that
minimum regulated safety standards are achieved.
Contact Information: Public Safety/Fire Marshal, 424-5721
Workers Advisor Program
As a legislated provincial government service, this program is independent from the Workers' Compensation Board. It provides legal
services to claimants under the Workers' Compensation Act and is responsible for the development, implementation and
maintenance of a program to advise, assist and represent injured workers who have been denied benefits under the Workers'
Compensation Act while maintaining appropriate financial controls of the expenditures.
Contact Information: 424-0460
Policy, Information and Business Services
The Policy division coordinates policy and planning for the department, including legislative review and policy development,
preparation of ministerial and deputy briefing material, research and policy analysis, and departmental liaison for national or
international issues. The Information and Business Services section provides a focus within the department for the development,
use, and access to internal library and information resources (including operational records and published material), provides
consistency in the department's business practices, and develops and implements the department's Occupational Health and Safety
program. The Website section develops and maintains the department's Internet and Intranet web sites.
Contact Information: 424-5420