Nova Scotia Regulations 65/2026 is a part of a series of regulatory changes that restructure the province’s agricultural regulatory and adjudicative framework. These changes, made under multiple statutes including the Agriculture Appeal and Review Board Act, Animal Protection Act, Crop and Livestock Insurance Act, Farm Practices Act, and Meat Inspection Act, aim to improve oversight, modernize dispute resolution processes, and consolidate appeal mechanisms into a single, centralized body.

At the core of the reform is the establishment of the Agriculture Appeal and Review Board Regulations (N.S. Reg. 65/2026). These regulations formalize the structure, jurisdiction, and procedures of the Agriculture Appeal and Review Board, which becomes the primary tribunal for handling appeals, complaints, and arbitrations across several agricultural statutes. The Board is designed to provide a consistent and efficient forum for resolving disputes involving farmers, producers, and regulators.

The regulations define key procedural elements, including how applications are filed, assessed, and heard. Applicants must submit a formal notice, and incomplete submissions are subject to strict correction timelines, with only two business days provided to remedy deficiencies. The Board is granted authority to dismiss applications that fall outside its jurisdiction, lack merit, or constitute an abuse of process. It may also consolidate similar cases to improve efficiency. Hearings may be conducted in person, virtually, or in writing, and parties are afforded procedural fairness, including the right to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses.

Timelines are a central feature of the new framework, reflecting an emphasis on timely dispute resolution. For example, applications under the Animal Protection Act must be filed within five business days of an animal seizure notice, with hearings held within ten business days and oral decisions issued shortly thereafter. Similarly, applications under the Crop and Livestock Insurance Act and Farm Practices Act are subject to defined filing windows and hearing deadlines, generally culminating in written decisions within 30 days of the hearing’s conclusion.

The Board is also empowered with significant procedural flexibility. It may suspend proceedings with the consent of parties, resume them upon request, or terminate applications if withdrawn. Decisions must be issued in writing with reasons, and the Board has discretion to publish decisions while protecting sensitive or personal information. Service of documents is modernized to include electronic delivery, with clear rules governing when service is deemed effective.

In parallel with the creation of this centralized tribunal, several legacy regulatory bodies and processes are eliminated. The Animal Welfare Appeal Board Regulations (N.S. Reg. 184/2019), Arbitration Proceedings Regulations (N.S. Reg. 71/1997), and Farm Practices Board Regulations (N.S. Reg. 16/2001) are all repealed. These repeals reflect a deliberate consolidation of adjudicative functions into the new Board, reducing fragmentation and overlap in the regulatory system.

Nova Scotia (65/2026) March 18, 2024
Disclaimer: Insights are for informational purposes only and does not reflect RRI’s official position or constitute legal opinion.