03/05/2026
I had delayed writing on the disastrous situation that has been created by poorly thought-through cuts by our Nova Scotia Government. Cumberland County and the Minus Shore have long been ignored by the province, and the area’s economic decline has been ignored. The area made the pivot many years ago to being an area that relied on the arts, area history, and the promotion of culture after the lumber industry collapsed in the region. The area around Parrsboro has three museums and a tidal power education center. There is also a long established live theater and a cultural center that provides arts based programing. We have also a major art community that holds one of the largest Plien Air Art events in the country. This is only the highlights of near Parrsboro and there are other museums in this county as well.
The support for all arts programs will affected as lack of funding and resources leads to less programing and promotion and in turn fewer people attending the locations and area. This leads to job cuts in all sectors of our local economy including our restaurants, accommodation, campgrounds, gas stations and the many other businesses that rely on people visiting our communities.
In our own store we find people come to Nova Scotia because of the people and the culture. They come for the kind of personal attention we provide and our open hospitality. Culture is one of many reasons why people move to our province and our area. We promote Nova Scotia authored books as much as we can and know how much effort goes into writing a good book, We like to say that on a per capita basis Nova Scotia has more published authors than any other region of Canada and this is something we should be proud of and it has attracted established writers to move here. The publishing industry is a very challenging one to be in and contrary to what some may think, most people still prefer to hold an actual book in their hands to read it. The programs that support our publishers are important to help first time authors become established and to help people learn the stories of Nova Scotia both here and across Canada.
The idea that tourists prefer to find their info online may apply to when they are at home planning their trip, but when they get here, they want the personal touch provided by an informed tourist information person. It is again that we are known for being a welcoming place. Cutting staff and closing tourism information centers is not going to help our region as provincial promotion is very limited for it. Many people only learn about what we have to offer when they visit an information center at a point of entry to the province. With efforts being made to expand tourism to all four seasons it is important these centers are open year around.
The cuts to so many other regions of the province to their cultural infrastructure and program’s is going to have just as great effect in each of those areas of the province. I do not think the impact of these cuts was fully realised before they were made and the devastating impact that it would have on so many in the culture and tourism sector and economy of the province. We urge the government to reverse this ill conceived plan as the cost of proceeding is more than the losses it will occur in income from these programs continuing due to the lost tax revenue they generate.
