Bill 235: Public Investment Integrity Act

This bill affects employers in Nova Scotia who have received government financial support — particularly those in sectors like film and digital media production, manufacturing, or any industry that has accessed capital investment tax credits, digital animation or digital media tax credits, or Invest Nova Scotia business incentives. A business that has received payroll rebates or grants and is later found to have violated labour standards or trade union rules — such as improperly denying workers their rights, interfering with union organizing, or breaching basic employment conditions — would face full repayment of up to five years' worth of that public assistance. This could represent a significant financial liability for companies of any size, but would be especially consequential for smaller operations or startups that relied heavily on those incentives to fund their growth. Employers with unionized workforces or those navigating collective bargaining would need to be particularly careful, as Trade Union Act violations trigger the same clawback mechanism.