Bill 134: Justice Administration Amendment (Fall 2025) Act

The most significant impact falls on businesses and property owners in Nova Scotia who may have assets — including vehicles, real estate, cash, or even cryptocurrency — that could be targeted under the new Civil Forfeiture Act if the Director of Civil Forfeiture suspects those assets are proceeds or instruments of unlawful activity. Financial institutions like banks, credit unions, and payday lenders face new obligations to disclose account information to the Director upon written notice, with a 30-day response window. Businesses involved in vehicle financing or leasing need to be aware that their security interests in financed vehicles can be suspended or extinguished during forfeiture proceedings, though protections exist for legitimate lenders. Any Nova Scotia business — from a sole operator to a larger employer — whose property is seized under this Act faces administrative forfeiture proceedings without necessarily going to court, and must actively file a notice of dispute within a specified deadline or lose their property by default.