Glenn MacDonald
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Articles by Glenn MacDonald
Under the surface, Canada’s submarine plan holds big promise for Halifax
The province’s advantages extend beyond its workforce. Its naval infrastructure, established defence companies and connections between industry and academia provide a foundation on which new capabilities could be developed, MacCorquodale said. Existing marine and defence capabilities could provide a base for developing the more specialized knowledge required to maintain the new vessels.
Canada’s defence industry tilting eastward and Halifax has wide base for growth
Nova Scotia has more than 130 companies operating in the defence and aerospace sector, supporting more than 17,000 jobs and contributing an estimated $2.7 billion to the provincial economy. The province is also home to Canada’s largest naval base and a concentration of defence contractors, research organizations and post-secondary institutions. There have already been some significant defence-related announcements for Nova Scotia this year.
Hundreds of defence tech researchers, industry leaders in Halifax for NATO Innovation Continuum
“The week’s events are really a culmination of months and months of work that both we and NATO Allied Command Transformation have been working on.” The exercises give companies an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities while also helping them better understand potential markets and the requirements for getting their technologies adopted. “The intent is to demonstrate capabilities of how technologies can work in operational environments,” Nadeau said.
Hundreds of defence tech researchers, industry leaders in Halifax for NATO Innovation Continuum
Locals can expect drones operating overhead, vessels on the water and a large airship similar in appearance to a blimp The NATO Innovation Continuum is in Halifax, the first time Canada has hosted the event. Long a hub for naval innovation and ocean and defence technology, Halifax is welcoming up to 600 innovators, researchers and industry leaders for a week-long initiative that brings NATO and Allied nations together to test and advance technologies that could address shared security challenges.
Examining Emera's record-setting, all-stock merger that will create a Halifax-based utility powerhouse
Until closing, Emera, ATCO Ltd. and Canadian Utilities will continue to operate independently. As part of the transaction, ATCO Ltd. will spin off its other businesses into a separate publicly-traded company. Nancy Southern will remain as ATCO’s chief executive. Southern will serve as co-chair of the new company’s board alongside current chair Karen Sheriff.
Examining Emera's record-setting merger that will create a Canadian utility powerhouse
Skip to Content Nova Scotia energy giant joins forces with Calgary-based Canadian Utilities in a blockbuster deal that will create one of North America’s largest utilities ATCO Ltd. employees work on the $2.9 billion Yellowhead pipeline, planned to run from Peers to Fort Saskatchewan. In what is being billed as the largest merger in Canadian history, Nova Scotia energy giant Emera Inc. is joining forces with Calgary-based Canadian Utilities Ltd.
Houston reconsiders Nova Scotia data centres as EverWind pitches adding one to Point Tupper project
Companies would also have to provide a direct financial return to Nova Scotians beyond normal tax payments. The stakes are significant because data centres are among the most power-intensive forms of new industrial development. Environmental advocates have raised concerns about the large volumes of electricity and water they consume. At the same time, billions of dollars are expected to flow into Canadian data centre construction in the coming years.
Canadian ports welcome Bill C-39, Carney's larger plans to speed up major infrastructure projects
The ACPA, which represents Canada’s port authorities, said it supports the bill’s objectives of improving supply-chain resilience and Canada’s competitiveness as a trading nation. “Bill C-39 includes promising measures related to trade corridor co-ordination, more streamlined infrastructure approvals, and greater flexibility for Canada Port Authorities to invest, build partnerships and support infrastructure that connects Canadian businesses to global markets,” the association said.
Canadian ports welcome Bill C-39, Carney's larger plans to speed up major infrastructure projects
Skip to Content • • More than 217,000 TEUs moved through Halifax's two container terminals – Atlantic Hub (shown here) and Fairview Cove – during the first half of 2026, a 15.8 per cent decline from the same period last year. Canada’s ports are welcoming new federal legislation aimed at speeding up major infrastructure projects, saying the changes could help strengthen trade corridors and improve the movement of goods to international markets. Don't have an account?
'We were very small:' Nova Scotia family's business booming with shipbuilding work
They recognized a gap in the market and believed the company could bring its industrial expertise to naval work. Vacheresse said Mobile Valve initially became involved with the Department of National Defence with work on Victoria-class submarines and later supported construction of the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard. That experience helped establish a relationship with Irving Shipbuilding that has lasted more than a decade.
Macklem sees opportunities, challenges for Nova Scotia economy
Macklem said the opportunities extend beyond traditional shipbuilding as defence spending creates demand for technologies that can serve both military and civilian purposes. “There are big opportunities in shipbuilding, the icebreakers, the destroyers, and more broadly, that is creating opportunities in dual-purpose technologies that both businesses and military could use,” he said. “We are starting to see those investments in the data. We’re also seeing investments in energy systems.
Tiff Macklem on tariffs, inflation and Canada’s economic crossroads
Q: What is the biggest challenge to bringing inflation back to the two per cent target without putting undue pressure on the Canadian economy? MACKLEM: “Inflation has a corrosive effect. What inflation does is make people feel like they’re working hard but they’re not getting ahead. They’re working hard, they’re getting paid, but what they’re getting paid doesn’t buy as much as it used to buy. And that undermines their confidence that the economy is working for them.
Tiff Macklem on tariffs, inflation and Canada’s economic crossroads
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem answers questions from reporters during a news conference at the Halifax Convention Centre on Monday. /Postmedia Tiff Macklem’s term as Bank of Canada governor began as the country was in the grip of COVID-19. Sign In or Create an Account His tenure has spanned Russia’s war in Ukraine, a trade war with the United States and another war in the Middle East that has disrupted global energy markets.
'The yardsticks have moved' in Canada's trade relationship with U.S., says Tiff Macklem
Bank of Canada governor says businesses should not expect a return to the same conditions enjoyed two years ago with its biggest trading partner Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem answers questions from reporters during a news conference at the Halifax Convention Centre on Monday. /Postmedia Tiff Macklem’s term as Bank of Canada governor began as the country was in the grip of COVID-19.
Texas company testing microorganism technology in Nova Scotia waters that could some day help clean the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway
The company essentially seeks to harness that natural process. “If you deploy our technology straight into the water, we call it a biofiltration technique because if you can let the diatoms increase in their abundance, they’re the ones that biologically consume ammonia and some of these pollutants that we don’t want in the waterway and make organic matter,” Slotnick said. “When they die, they fall onto the ocean floor and they become mud.
Retail market in Halifax tightens as U.S.-Canada trade war drives up construction costs, rents of shopping plazas
“The biggest driver is the population growth in the last five, 10 years,” he said. “We’ve obviously had significant growth. I think COVID was kind of a game changer for our city. A lot of people came to Halifax and put it on the map. People from Ontario and the U.S. came here more frequently and they found this hidden gem that is Atlantic Canada.” That population growth has supported existing retailers and helped attract new national and international brands to the city.
Empire says tariff costs won't be passed to grocery shoppers, reports profits up almost 10 per cent
Sales for the quarter totalled $8.48 billion, up from $8.26 billion a year ago. “We generated a strong first quarter, driven by disciplined execution across the business and progress against our strategic priorities,” said St-Laurent, who was appointed chief executive in November.
‘We’re just a victim of it’: Nova Scotia businesses brace for prolonged trade war
“In our case, in Canada, we get aluminum. It goes to the States, goes through a rolling mill and is turned into shapes and then brought back to Canada. “There’s always been this back and forth between Canada and the U.S. and has gone on for 100 years and we have a good relationship. As a whole, we work well together.” But businesses like his, Wallace said, are largely powerless over trade policies negotiated by governments.
‘We’re just a victim of it’: Nova Scotia businesses brace for prolonged trade war
• Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump are pictured together in this file photo. Trade tensions between Canada and the United States continue to escalate. For a small Nova Scotia manufacturer like Ace Machining Ltd., the Canada-U.S. trade war is already affecting decisions that once seemed straightforward, including where to buy the equipment needed to keep the business running. Don't have an account?
Nova Scotia opens door to battery storage for province's planned peaker plants
Nova Scotia has not ruled out battery storage as an option for meeting the province’s future electricity needs, even as it moves ahead with plans for two new power plants in Pictou County. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.
Can biomass breathe new life into Nova Scotia's struggling forestry sector?
The funding comes as the province continues to deal with the aftermath of post-tropical storm Fiona, which struck Nova Scotia in 2022 and left tens of thousands of trees damaged, uprooted or flattened. It was the most intense post-tropical cyclone to hit Canada on record and the costliest weather event in Atlantic Canada history. Four years later, cleanup is still underway in parts of the province.
Can biomass breathe new life into Nova Scotia's struggling forestry sector?
Forestry industry leaders are looking toward an emerging opportunity: turning branches, bark and other low-grade fibre into energy A harvester cuts wood in Rossfield, Pictou County. /The Chronicle Herald For generations, Nova Scotia’s forests have been a foundation of the province’s economy. Sign In or Create an Account But the traditional business model built around sawmills, pulpwood and large-scale paper production has been under growing pressure.
Can biomass breathe new life into Nova Scotia's struggling forestry sector?
For generations, Nova Scotia’s forests have been a foundation of the province’s economy. But the traditional business model built around sawmills, pulpwood and large-scale paper production has been under growing pressure. The closure of the Northern Pulp mill in Pictou County in 2020 exposed just how vulnerable the sector had become. …Now, industry leaders are looking toward an emerging opportunity: turning branches, bark and other low-grade fibre into energy.
Turning waste into lobster stock: Nova Scotia trying to bring seafood processing home
A retail-sized product is planned for a later stage. For a sector where transportation, storage and seasonal production can all affect margins, those efficiencies could be significant. The investment could also fundamentally change how Lobster Hub operates. The company currently runs for roughly four months during the lobster season. With the new equipment and processing system, the goal is to operate at more than 70 per cent of the year by 2027.
Proposed Colchester County shipping terminal could give Nova Scotia economic, logistical boost
“It’s certainly going to build on the strengths of the community,” Phillips said. “We have an existing labour force. We have complementary businesses in Debert Business Park, in Truro and all over the region. It’s going to create jobs. There’ll be commercial, industrial, possibly even residential elements to it.” Nova Scotia relies heavily on the Port of Halifax as an international gateway.
Proposed shipping terminal could give Nova Scotia an economic boost
ScotiaPort is envisioned as a major transportation and logistics hub connecting central Nova Scotia directly to the Port of Halifax A rendering of the proposed 2,300-acre inland terminal envisioned as a major transportation and logistics hub to be built in Onslow, N.S. A long-discussed, $100 million inland port could turn a Nova Scotia transportation legacy into a bigger economic opportunity.
Layoffs begin as Nova Scotia pine products hit by latest Trump tariffs
Layoffs begin as Nova Scotia pine products hit by latest Trump tariffs By Glenn MacDonald The Chronicle Herald August 25, 2026 Category: Business & Politics Nova Scotia’s softwood lumber exports south of the border have been spared from Donald Trump’s tariffs, but pine products from the province are facing steep new costs in the deepening trade rift between Canada and the United States.
Layoffs begin as Nova Scotia pine products hit by latest Trump tariffs
Uncertainty around blueberries, apples as they escape tariffs Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on roughly $28 billion in Canadian goods went into effect Saturday after negotiations between the U.S. and Canada fell apart Friday. The levies hit exports in plastics, machinery, dairy, certain wood and paper products, alcohol and some agricultural products. Nova Scotia’s blueberries, the province’s largest agricultural export, escaped the latest tariffs.
Small but mighty, Halifax ranks No. 2 as emerging North American tech hub
Digital Nova Scotia recently released an economic study on the tech industry in the province and found that one in 14 workers are employed in the digital sector. “Whether that’s the core digital sector or the extended digital sector, we have a lot of great talent,” Sagness said. “IT-digital is a people-centric business, and you just can’t do it without great talent.” Eight Canadian cities placed among CBRE’s Top 50 North American tech employment markets, including six in the top 15.
Nova Scotia seafood companies get $2.2 million to cut energy costs, emissions
For aquaculture companies, the funding provides a way to reduce energy costs as they look for alternatives to fossil fuels. “Like many businesses in Nova Scotia, aquaculture companies are looking at how they can reduce emissions, employ renewable energy options and lower their operating costs long term,” said Jeff Bishop, the executive director of the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia seafood companies get $2.2 million from province to cut energy costs, emissions
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Nova Scotia opens door to small-scale tidal power projects in Bay of Fundy
The powerful currents are among the strongest tidal flows in the world. Industry estimates suggest the Minas Passage could eventually generate as much as 2,500 megawatts of renewable electricity. Nova Scotia has long viewed tidal energy as an opportunity to produce clean electricity while stimulating manufacturing and marine engineering activity. Developing that resource commercially has proven to be difficult.
Retrofitting Atlantic Canada’s buildings to achieve net zero will cost billions
For commercial and institutional buildings, energy reductions of 60 to 75 per cent are technically achievable across the 10 building archetypes, such as schools, warehouses and large apartment buildings. For residential buildings, deep retrofits could reduce energy use by 50 to 80 per cent across 10 home types, including bungalows, split-level homes and small multi-unit residential buildings. “We do not see any technical hurdles in doing these projects,” she said. “The barriers are money or policy.
Amazon building massive $200 million operations hub in Nova Scotia industrial park
Spanning more than a kilometre, the job site at the far end of the Burnside Industrial Park in Dartmouth, across the harbour from Halifax, is buzzing with about two dozen excavators, bulldozers, front-end loaders and dump trucks as crews blast and clear a rocky outcrop for what will become the e-commerce giant’s sprawling operations hub. “I can confirm Amazon is building a new operations site there,” Amazon Canada spokesperson Amy Diaz said in an email.
Amazon building massive $200 million operations hub in Nova Scotia industrial park
Once completed, the facility will be the largest Amazon fulfillment centre east of Ontario A drone photo of a construction site for what will become Amazon's sprawling operations hub in Burnside Industrial Park. A construction site on a vast stretch of a Nova Scotia industrial park is giving shape to Amazon’s biggest investment in the province.
Approval acquired for Nova Scotia open pit zinc mine planning to open in 2027
In addition to producing zinc and lead, EDM Resources is exploring the site’s gold potential and evaluating opportunities to produce gypsum. “While our primary focus remains the redevelopment of the Scotia Mine as a zinc-lead and gypsum producer, we are also evaluating the broader mineral potential across our property,” Haywood said.
Nova Scotia zinc project clears hurdle as mining momentum builds
Developing resources especially important as U.S. tariffs threaten economy, says minister The Scotia Mine in Cooks Brook, N.S., about 60 kilometres northeast of Halifax, will restart operations, likely in 2027, after the Province of Nova Scotia recently amended the project's industrial approval. The restart of a Nova Scotia zinc mine is a significant step closer after the province amended the project’s industrial approval, underscoring a growing momentum in its mining sector.
Why Nova Scotia could be a big winner in Canada's submarine strategy
In the meantime, Babcock Canada will work to keep the Victoria-class submarines afloat and prolong their operational lives. The extension, awarded by the federal government on July 20, is valued at more than $1 billion over the next six years and includes options that could extend the contract by another 12 years.
Why Nova Scotia could be a big winner in Canada's submarine strategy
As many as six submarines could eventually be based in Halifax HMCS Corner Brook, a Victoria-class submarine. Nova Scotia is on the cusp of a defining chapter in its defence economy, says the chief executive officer of Babcock Canada, which recently secured a $1 billion, six-year contract extension to maintain Canada’s current Victoria-class submarines, bridging the gap to a new generation of subs.
Clutch opens Halifax customer hub in former East Coast Lifestyle flagship store
Less than a year after East Coast Lifestyle shut down what it had hoped would become a flagship retail destination, the state-of-the-art building in Halifax has found a new tenant. Clutch, Canada’s leading online used-car retailer, officially opened its new customer hub Wednesday at Bayers Lake Business Park, taking over the former East Coast Lifestyle facility after the Nova Scotia apparel company shuttered the location in October, just 13 months after it opened.
Lockheed Martin Canada expands Nova Scotia workforce amid defence spending boom
With a surge of federal military spending expected to flow into Nova Scotia in the coming years, the world’s largest defence and aerospace contractor announced a multi-million-dollar investment on its new hires in the province over the next five years. Lockheed Martin Canada could spend up to $126 million in salaries and benefits during that period and add 320 highly-skilled jobs to the current workforce of 505 employees at the defence contractor’s offices in Dartmouth.
Lockheed Martin to boost Nova Scotia workforce by 320 jobs amid defence spending boom
World’s largest defence and aerospace contractor announces multi-million-dollar investment in new hires in the province over the next five years Lockheed Martin Canada could spend up to $126 million in salaries and benefits over the next five years and add 320 highly-skilled jobs to the current workforce of 505 employees at the defence contractor's offices in Dartmouth.
TikTok turns sardines into booming business as younger consumers drive demand
“Trends come and go, but this one has had some staying power and could be here to stay. TikTok has helped shine a spotlight on sardines, the superfood of the sea. “But many Canadians have been enjoying Brunswick sardines since 1893. Sardines are an excellent source of protein, selenium and have other key nutrients like omega-3s, iron, calcium, potassium and vitamin D. They’re great as a topping on crackers or toast, in a quick sandwich, over salad, in pasta or even eaten directly from the can.
TikTok turns sardines into booming business as younger consumers snap them up
Once considered a food staple for seniors, the tiny canned fish has gained popularity as a 'superfood of the sea' Connors Bros., a division of Clover Leaf Seafoods, operates the largest sardine processing plant in North America in Blacks Harbour, N.B. The company, founded in the 1880s, produces the iconic Brunswick sardines brand. Long associated with older generations and pantry shelves, sardines are experiencing an unlikely resurgence as a viral social media obsession.
Inside Canada’s naval megaproject: Halifax’s Irving Shipbuilding builds next-generation destroyers
The project is expected to provide a steady pipeline of work through at least 2050, creating long-term certainty for Irving Shipbuilding and hundreds of companies across its Canadian supply chain. The first three vessels – HMCS Fraser, HMCS Saint-Laurent and HMCS Mackenzie – alone carry a price tag of more than $22 billion.
Inside Canada’s naval megaproject: Halifax’s Irving Shipbuilding builds next-generation destroyers
The River-class destroyers will eventually replace the Navy’s aging frigates Irving Shipbuilding's Assembly and Module Hall, one of the largest modern shipbuilding facilities in North America, is four football fields long and 12 storeys high. When workers at Irving Shipbuilding Inc. lowered a silver coin into the hull of Canada’s first River-class destroyer last month, they were taking part in a centuries-old maritime tradition.
What's in Nova Scotia's new three-year plan for our $2.2B seafood industry?
“This says we are all working in this direction. We all recognize that there are limitations. We are seeing problems in terms of operational efficiency, how we deal with labour problems and how we deal with innovation. We could all work together and this gives us a blueprint for what the government sees as success and for what the industry sees as success, as well.
What's in Nova Scotia's new three-year plan for its $2.2 billion seafood industry?
Seafood Alliance exec says government plan gets everyone 'pulling on the same rope, going in the same direction' Lobster fishermen load traps aboard a boat at the Falls Point Wharf in Woods Harbour, N.S. The Nova Scotia government has unveiled a three-year strategy aimed at strengthening the province's multi-billion-dollar seafood industry through new investments in innovation, market diversification and aquaculture growth.
Here's where Canada’s new $7 billion warships will be tested
By the time those ships begin joining the fleet, Hartlen Point will already be functioning as a permanent testing, training and support centre – a behind-the-scenes capability designed to ensure Canada’s most advanced warships are ready before they ever touch the water.
Defence boom could put pressure on Halifax's housing market, infrastructure
“If Canada is going to build more, trade more, defend more, and compete more seriously in the world, then cities have to be ready. Our infrastructure has to be ready. Our institutions have to be ready.” But Halifax remains one of Canada’s least affordable rental markets. According to Statistics Canada, Halifax tied with Ottawa as the country’s fourth-most-expensive major city for average asking rent on a two-bedroom apartment during the first quarter of 2026.
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