N.S. Premier Tim Houston says he will seek third term

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announced he will seek a third term during an anniversary celebration of his party’s provincial election victory on Wednesday.

“The choice in the next election will be clear,” said Houston. “Only the PCs can defend Nova Scotia.”

Houston made the announcement during a speech at a one-year anniversary celebration of the Progressive Conservative government’s super-majority win in the last provincial election. In November 2024, the party captured 43 of 55 seats in the legislature, the strongest victory by the total number seats in more than 40 years.

The announcement ends speculation Houston was seeking a run at federal politics. Questions had been raised after the premier addressed the media in French and said he was taking French lessons.

Houston told supporters Wednesday night he remains laser focused on Nova Scotia and his ambitious desire to turn the province into a thriving energy superpower and developer of critical minerals.

“We will defend Nova Scotians by building up the province,” said Houston. “Those before us built this province against the odds, and we owe it to our kids to build a future of prosperity and self-reliance.”

Houston said to maximize those opportunities, it would take a commitment to increasing the development of natural resources.

Before the 2024 provincial election, Houston and his party had campaigned on taking on Ottawa and then-prime minister Justin Trudeau, and eliminating the carbon-tax.

But with Trudeau gone and Prime Minister Mark Carney eliminating the consumer carbon tax, the question becomes what priorities the Houston government will turn to in year two of their second mandate.

Houston’s government was first elected in 2021, largely on a promise to fix health care and Houston said they are doing that, but noted “it doesn’t happen overnight.”

“Health care is finally on the right path. Sure, there is still work to do,” said Houston. “And in order to keep investing, to keep improving health care, to keep building schools, hospitals and roads…we need the revenue that comes from developing our own natural resources.”

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