Because of Nova Scotia’s prime location on the shipping lanes of the Atlantic Ocean, the sea has always been the foundation of the province’s international commerce.  Over the years, Nova Scotia’s importance as an entry and exit point to the North American continent has supported significant industries related to its port, airport, rail, trucking and storage infrastructure.  

As a result, Nova Scotia is linked to points beyond the provincial border by a modern, efficient transportation system. Nova Scotia exporters are able to expediently ship products anywhere in the world.

Nova Scotia’s transportation advantages were underscored by a 2008 independent study by British Columbia’s Fraser Institute which attributed Nova Scotia with the second-best transportation system in Canada.  It concluded that the extent, use, accessibility, cost, safety and condition of the different modes of transportation in the province were exemplary.

In recent years, the need for a world-class transportation system has been matched by that for telecommunications capabilities. Nova Scotia is one of the few places in the world with a fully digital network. And, the rather ambitious goal of making broadband internet access available to every Nova Scotian is expected to be reached by late 2009.

Atlantic Gateway
Nova Scotia has been a gateway to North America for over 400 years, with an economy that has long been driven by trade. Proximity to markets, deep ice-free waters and excellent rail, truck, marine and air connections are competitive advantages over other locations. Today’s trade routes are changing, and opportunities abound with the growth in China, India and new shipping capacity via the Suez Canal.

On this foundation, a significant collaborative initiative has been launched to establish an East Coast Gateway to North America. Nova Scotia’s vision is to establish the province as a strategic gateway to North America and a pivotal link in the global transportation system – to the economic benefit of Canada.

The benefits of the Gateway to Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada will be felt through shortened supply lines, more foreign investment and increased trade. Several key elements of the Atlantic Gateway are the construction of new multi-transportation corridor to Halifax’s Ocean terminal, the dredging of Sydney harbour, the construction of the Melford International Terminal. A logistics park has recently been opened in Halifax and other initiatives are falling into place.

Ports
Excellent harbours are prominent features across Nova Scotia. Many are deep and ice-free with the capacity to handle the largest ships in the world. Nova Scotia has the closest mainland ports to South Asia, including India, and Southeast Asia via the Suez Canal. It is also a one-day sail closer to major European markets than from any other mainland North American port.

Halifax is the capital city of Nova Scotia. It has the second largest natural harbour in the world and the only container port on the east coast of North America deep enough to handle the coming new classes of vessels. The Port of Halifax is cost-effective and has a stable work force. It has 14 different terminals and wharves that provide container, bulk, break-bulk, and roll-on/roll-off cargo handling, and integrated services for a wide range of users. It can double its container traffic with the capacity it currently has available.

Halifax was vital as a staging point for convoys during both world wars and remains one of the world's major military ports. The Port of Halifax is also a destination for cruise ships from around the globe, and welcomes 200,000 cruise ship passengers each year.

The Strait of Canso Superport is located between mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island. It is one of the finest natural deep water harbours on the eastern seaboard of North America. The facility serves a number of clients, handling almost 25 million tonnes of cargo, including oil, coal, paper products, gypsum, aggregate, salt and fish products.

A new two-berth container facility at Sydney, Nova Scotia is expected to become operational in the second half of 2010. It will have an annual capacity of 750,000 20-foot TEU’s. The project will firmly establish Sydney as a deep-water port, capable of handling the foreign fleet’s largest containers.

Another terminal at Melford on the Strait of Canso between mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island is also scheduled to begin operation in 2010. It will have three berths and a capacity of 1.5 million 20-foot TEUs. It is aimed at increasing cargo volumes from China and the Indian subcontinent through the Suez Canal.

Airports
Nova Scotia has a major international airport in Halifax, and another airport of entry in Sydney. Several other communities have local airports.

Nova Scotia offers excellent business connections by air to the United States, Europe and the rest of Canada – 2 hours or less to Boston, New York, Montreal and Toronto. The United Kingdom is less than 6 hours away.

Halifax Stanfield International Airport (HSIA) is the principal full-service airport in Atlantic Canada, providing passengers and cargo clients with access to markets across the country. It is the region’s busiest airport with 3.4 million passengers a year, almost 30,000 tonnes of cargo and 86,000 take-offs and landings. Halifax is the only regional airport to offer U.S. Customs pre-clearance. It has been consistently honoured with awards for quality service.

Rail
Over1000 kilometres (600 miles) of rail line are in service in Nova Scotia. Canadian National (CN) Railways is the main line railroad carrier. It provides service for international shippers in Halifax to customers in the major urban centres of Montreal and Toronto, then on to Chicago. CN also offers rail connections to the southern United States, including Memphis, the second largest inland port on the Mississippi River.

Via Rail, Canada's main passenger carrier, provides regular departures from Halifax, through Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and eastern Quebec, ending in Montreal.

Highways
The province has a comprehensive road system ranging from 4-lane divided highways to scenic secondary routes. Automobile and passenger ferries connect Nova Scotia to locations in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Maine.
 
In Nova Scotia, a series of arterial routes have been designated as controlled-accessed highways. They connect major population centres in all areas of the province and serve as the principal road transport routes to the border at New Brunswick. One of these is the major north-south freeway from the Port of Halifax and Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

The major for-hire trucking companies operate in the Nova Scotia and many private companies have their own trucking divisions. Busses offer passenger and parcel service throughout the region and connect to Quebec, Ontario and Maine.

Communications
Nova Scotia has some of the best telecommunications infrastructure in the world.

It has an entirely digital telecommunication network, high-speed digital links, broadband networks, and mobile and marine communications. Almost the entire population is covered by digital wireless networks. A provincial government initiative to make high speed Internet access available to100% of Nova Scotians is now under way. When completed in 2009, Nova Scotia will be one of the most connected jurisdictions in North America.