Opportunities as crucial as job creation

To the Editor:

As a member of Nova Scotia Business Inc.’s (NSBI) board of directors, I had the pleasure of participating in the launch of the business development agency’s five-year plan last fall in Kings County.

In this plan, job creation is only one part of the bigger picture. It’s about providing the right job opportunities. It is important for us to follow up with the local business community to understand how we can act on this plan.

At NSBI, we work with companies at home and abroad to expand business activity across the province. With diverse activity in Kings County such as Acadia University playing a key role in skill development and attracting a vibrant student population and companies like Just Us Coffee Roasters and Nova Agri Inc. finding success, clearly there are opportunities to explore.

Just Us, a New Minas-based organic coffee roaster and distributor, opened its doors in 1995 as Canada’s first fair trade coffee company. Due to high costs of importing bulk coffee from Mexico, Just Us experienced financial pressure early in its development. However, once the local Co-op Atlantic starting selling Just Us coffee, business began to increase. The small company was able to expand, adding cafés in Halifax, Wolfville and a new headquarters in Grand-Pre. Larger coffee chains have since begun carrying fair trade products, but Just Us Coffee will continue to be a pioneer in this thriving market.

Another Annapolis Valley business, Nova Agri Inc., a producer of fruits and vegetables in the Annapolis Valley, was founded in 1985.

Nova Agri, like many NS-based agricultural companies, is challenged by our northern climate. The company has a limited number of months to produce its products, compared to international competitors that are able to produce year-round.

To meet this challenge, Nova Agri has invested in technology that extends the shelf life of certain goods without preservatives. Additionally, the company has formed production partnerships in other parts of the world to keep a steady supply of the highest quality products during the local off-months.

Companies such as Just Us Coffee Roasters and Nova Agri Inc. are playing a part in the province’s overall economic growth and competitiveness.

Like other jurisdictions, Kings County and the province are confronted by economic challenges on a national and international scale. For businesses that export outside of Canada, the rise and fall of the Canadian dollar has an impact on sales. To address challenges like this, companies are re-evaluating their business practices to understand how they can better compete through innovation and improved productivity.

When NSBI spoke to businesses during the launch of the five-year plan, attracting and retaining talent was the number one issue we heard. We will continue to work with our partners to fine-tune our business cases at the regional level. At the end of the day, it’s about understanding what you have to offer and selling it to the world.

As members of the community, you know the unique issues you and your businesses face. More importantly, you know King’s County’s greatest strengths.

We need your help to understand how we can take our communities to the next level of growth. By working together, the issues we solve today can become opportunities for our future.

Paul Kent



- Paul Kent is a member of Nova Scotia Business Inc.’s board of directors