4.1 Provincial Overview

Nova Scotia is a rural province located in Canada's most rural region. According to Census 2001, Atlantic Canada's population is more "rural" than that of any other Canadian region. Looking more closely at Nova Scotia, Statistics Canada indicates more than 44 percent of the province's population live in rural areas. On a county level, 14 of 18 counties have the majority of their population living in rural areas. The entire population of two counties in the Strait Region (Richmond and Guysborough) live in rural areas.

Twelve of sixteen rural counties have experienced population decline since 1986. The decline ranges from minor in scope, 2 percent in Yarmouth County to extreme, 24 percent in Guysborough County. Two of the three counties with an entirely rural population have realized the sharpest population decline. In addition to Guysborough experiencing a 24 percent decline, Richmond County has experienced a decline of 14 percent in its population since 1986.

While rural Nova Scotia's assets are many, it does share one fundamental characteristic with rural areas around the world — it is changing. Its population is aging, its youth are leaving and its economy continues to shift from the primary sector to the service and knowledge sectors. Counties experiencing these changes suffer from relatively low incomes, along with high unemployment.

In a study undertaken by The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, 67 percent of small business owners in rural Nova Scotia highlight the out-migration of youth as a barrier to economic growth. Youth leave their community of birth for many reasons, the most notable being for study. Rothwell et al (2002) indicate that young adults aged 20-29 years are the most mobile during the study period with those aged 20-24 having the highest rates of Rural Small Town out-migration.

The median age of Nova Scotia's population is 38.8 years of age, the oldest median age in the country (Census 2001). The province's rural counties have a median age of 40.7 years, which is an increase of 3.4 years since Census 1996. While Nova Scotia is old and aging quickly relative to the rest of Canada, rural Nova Scotia is aging at an even faster rate.