News release

Province to Make LED Streetlights Law

Energy (June 2002 - July 2018)

Legislation introduced today, April 21, will make LED lighting mandatory on Nova Scotia's roads and highways. Nova Scotia will become the only province or state in North America to enact such a law.

Premier Darrell Dexter announced the government's intention to introduce the legislation earlier this week in Amherst. Today's legislation will allow regulations to be developed that would require more energy-efficient and environmentally responsible roadway lighting be used in place of current lighting.

"This legislation means reduced energy costs, and lower greenhouse gas and mercury emissions, which is good news for all Nova Scotians," said Energy Minister Charlie Parker. "As the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce legislation like this, we are reinforcing our position as a leader in adopting green technologies."

Earlier this year, the province announced it was converting 2,500 high-pressure sodium highway lights to LED lights. A Nova Scotia company, LED Roadway Lighting Limited in Amherst, manufactures those lights.

LED lights are expected to use less than half the energy of current lights. When combined with reduced maintenance costs, the estimated annual savings are about $18 million. It will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30,000 tons and save a half kilogram of mercury each year.

Nova Scotia was the first jurisdiction in North America to institute hard caps for greenhouse gas emissions for the electricity sector.

There are about 120,000 roadway lights in Nova Scotia. Most are owned and operated by Nova Scotia Power, with about 10 per cent belonging to municipalities.

Last year, the Town of Amherst, Halifax Regional Municipality, Berwick, Canso, Lunenburg, Antigonish and Mahone Bay received funding through the ecoNova Scotia program to begin converting street lights to LED.

The cost to convert to LED lighting is estimated at about $100 million. Nova Scotia Power will apply to the Utility and Review Board to make the investment. Municipalities and Nova Scotia Power will each have five years to complete the conversion.