Nova Scotia Backgrounder

Facts at a glance

General

1. Average rainfall (1994): 1,178 Millimeters
2. Average daily temperatures: Summer 16-24 C (60-75 F) Winter -3 C (20 F)
3. Drinking age: 19
4. Driving age: 16
5. Average price of an automobile: $16,870
6. Average auto prices:
                  Compact          $14,500
                  Sedan            $23,000
                  Luxury           $35,000
7. Nova Scotia population: 936,700
Population density: 17.7 persons square/Km
8. Average tuition prices:
Community College $700/yr.
University $3,000/yr.
9. Personal income tax rate: 59.5% of Basic Federal Tax (BFT) plus a 10% surtax.



Commercial

1. Value of Exports (1994): $2,568,372,000
2. Imports, NS as a province of clearance (1994): $3,139,269,000
3. Provincial Sales Tax: 11% (major exclusions - most clothing and food for home consumption.
4. Federal Goods and Services Tax (VAT): 7%
5. Capital Expenditures - Millions (1994): $2,845.5
6. Total value of construction (1994): 1,684.9 (mil.)
7. Current exchange rates (as of 4/4/95) for Canadian dollar versus:
               Franc              3.4783
               US Dollar          0.7174
               Mark               0.9929
               Yen                62.00
               œ                  0.435
8. Corporate Income Tax rate: 16% of taxable income, 5% Small Business Tax. Tax holiday of 3 years for new small businesses.
9. Inflation rates (1994) As a percentage change in CPI:
               Nova Scotia         1.2%
               Canada              0.2%
10. Property Tax Rate (1994/1995):
               Halifax City        1.4853
               NS                  .73 to 2.52
11. Number of business start-ups in 1994: 8,504


Tourism

1.1994 preliminary Tourist visitation by mode (# Tourist visitations):
               Motor Vehicle          790,700
               Air                    186,800
               Motor Coach             42,700
               Recreational Vehicle    76,300
               Total                1,096,500
2. Total value of tourist visitation (1993): 835,000,000.
Average expenditure per non-resident party trip: $650.
3. Number of Cruise ship visits (1994): 67
4. In 1994, there were 720 establishments providing 12,710 rooms. A total of 2,063,800 room nights sold.
5. 1993, total number of aircraft movements at Halifax International Airport: 111,000
Number of flights per day: 304



Demographics

1. Personal Income per Capita (1994)
                  NS                $18,944
                  Canada            $22,134
2. Educational Attainment 90
                  0 8 years              13.3
                  Some Secondary         25.4
                  High School Graduates  13.0
                  Some Post Secondary     8.4
                    (Includes Trades)    27.8
                  University Degree      12.1
3. # of vehicles per household: 0.86
4. Total population (1994)
                  Halifax metro        339,000
                  NS                   936,700



Employment

1.Number of persons in labour force in Nova Scotia (1994):
                 Goods Producing        87,000
                 Service Producing     293,000
2. Minimum Wage: $5.15/hr.
3. Total Labour Force Unemployment Rate:
                 Halifax Metro             9.4%
                 Nova Scotia              13.3%
4. Unemployment Rates (1994):
                 NS                       13.3%
                 Canada                   10.4%



Housing

1. Average house selling price (1994):
                 Halifax              $103,481
                 Nova Scotia           $91,109
2. Average apartment Rental in Halifax metro (1994):
                  1 Bedroom               $504
                  2 Bedroom               $610
3. Value of Construction (1994) - Halifax County:
                  Residential      $207,905,000
                  Industrial          6,885,000 
                  Commercial         72,617,000   
                  Government          6,054,000  
                  Total            $293,461,000

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