Nova Scotia’s top party leaders are talking about traffic congestion, seniors’ health and rent disputes as the provincial election campaign continues Tuesday.

The Liberals are promising to build a new six-lane bridge in Halifax, while the Progressive Conservatives announced a program that would provide free access to the shingles vaccine for people aged 65 and older.

Meanwhile, the NDP says it will create a compliance and enforcement unit to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords.

Election day is November 26 in Nova Scotia.

Liberals promise new MacKay Bridge and free public transit

Liberal Leader Zach Churchill announced plans Tuesday to reduce traffic congestion and improve travel times in the Halifax region.

Churchill says his party would partner with Halifax Harbor Bridges to replace the four-lane MacKay Bridge, which connects Halifax and Dartmouth. A new six-lane bridge would provide dedicated lanes for city buses, which Churchill said would “make daily travel faster and more reliable.”

Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Zach Churchill (center) makes an announcement regarding traffic congestion in Halifax on November 5, 2024. (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic)

The Liberals would also work closely with the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) to help fund the Bus Rapid Transit project, which aims to streamline bus routes and reduce travel times in major suburban corridors.

“Traffic congestion is a major concern for many Nova Scotians, particularly in HRM,” Churchill said. “To truly solve this problem, we need proactive solutions that actually benefit Nova Scotians, not just short-sighted measures that make the situation worse. Our plan puts commuters first, invests in critical infrastructure and protects the environment.

The party is also committed to making public transit free across Nova Scotia, which it says would save people time and money on their daily commute.

Additionally, Churchill says his government would promote flexible work arrangements to allow more Nova Scotians to get off the roads during peak traffic periods.

The Liberals would also reduce PC Leader Tim Houston’s immigration levels, which they say are “unsustainable,” until the province’s infrastructure can accommodate more growth.

PCs Announce Universal Shingles Program for Seniors

Houston says his party would introduce a program providing free access to the shingles vaccine for Nova Scotians aged 65 and older.

“Today, across Canada, nearly one in three people develop shingles, even though we have ready access to a vaccine,” Houston said. “It’s not just a statistic, it’s a call to action. That’s why we’ll make the shingles vaccine free for all Nova Scotians aged 65 and older.

The start-up cost of the program would be $27 million in the first year. The Conservative government estimates the cost would fall below $3 million a year by the third year.

Nova Scotia NDP Leader Claudia Chender makes an announcement regarding the creation of a rental compliance and enforcement unit at the NDP headquarters in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, November 5, 2024 (Jesse Thomas/CTV Atlantic)

NDP will create unit to resolve rental disputes

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday her party would create a compliance and enforcement unit to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords.

Chender says landlord associations and tenant rights groups have been calling for an enforcement system for years, saying the province doesn’t have the resources to handle disputes.

“A New Democratic government will ensure tenants are empowered and protected. And that small landlords get the support they need,” Chender said.

“We will set up a compliance and enforcement unit so tenants and landlords have somewhere to turn when there are disputes that need to be resolved urgently.”

Chender says the program, which would be available across the province, would help tenants who feel they have no options if a landlord doesn’t maintain their property.

“Far too often, tenants have to fight big landlords who have a team of lawyers,” she said. “The power disparity is often enormous; the current system is neither balanced nor fair.

The Nova Scotia government spent $300,000 on a report examining how an enforcement and compliance unit could work in the province, but the Conservatives decided not to act on the report’s recommendations.

Chender points out that the vacancy rate in Nova Scotia is 1 per cent.

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