Pictou County , Nova Scotia is centrally located in the geographic centre of Atlantic Canada, nestled along the warm, gentle waters of the Northumberland Strait . The region is in short proximity to other major centres: 1.5 hrs north of Halifax, Nova Scotia; 2 hours east of Moncton, New Brunswick; 1.5 hours southeast of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (by ferry crossing); and 2.5 hrs west of Sydney, Nova Scotia.

The county is comprised of six distinct municipal units consisting of five towns and a rural municipality. The “up-river” towns of New Glasgow, Trenton , Stellarton and Westville form one contiguous urban area; the Town of Pictou is located approximately 10 km to the northwest. Approximately 45% of the region’s population live in the “up river” municipalities. Adding the Town of Pictou to this total makes up nearly 53% of county residents and the fourth largest urban population in Nova Scotia .

The Towns together with the rural population of the Municipality of the County of Pictou has a combined population of over 46,000 people.

Population

Source: Statistics Canada , 2006 Census Report

Economic Profile

Pictou County ’s economy is remarkably diverse. Its natural resources have provided a strong foundation in traditional industries of fishing, farming, mining and forestry; all still active in the region today. The last century saw the addition of manufacturing as a major contributor to the region’s industrial and economic position. In recent decades, new facets have been tapped and today the region is home to a significant retail, tourism and service sector and a growing information technology and communications sector.

Through the fluctuations of the Canadian economy, Pictou County has enjoyed stability and economic benefits from a number of regional, national and international companies, which are located here. Corporate Head Offices for Empire Company are located in Stellarton. Empire is the parent company of Sobeys Inc. (national grocer), Crombie REIT (commercial and residential real estate) and Empire Theatres (the second largest movie exhibitor in Canada with nearly 60 theatres, representing some 400 screens across Canada ). Sobeys is Canada ’s second largest grocery retailer and a leading food distributor with annual revenue of $12.8 billion. Also headquartered in Stellarton, Sobeys owns or franchises approximately 1,300 stores in all 10 Canadian provinces under retail banners that include Sobeys, IGA Extra, IGA and Price Chopper. In business for a century, Sobeys maintains its commitment to doing business in Pictou County , demonstrated with significant investments including the construction of a 600 person Administrative Service Centre and ongoing expansion and improvement program for the five Sobeys supermarkets located in Pictou County .

The Atlantic Superstore (owned by Loblaws) has re-invested in Pictou County by significantly expanding their facilities and offerings in this market. Likewise, Wal-Mart has made a major re-investment with the construction of a brand new building to house their dramatically expanded operations.

One of the three Michelin Tire ( Canada ) Ltd manufacturing facilities in Canada is located in Granton, Pictou County . With 1400 employees, the Granton plant is one of the largest employers in Pictou County . Michelin’s Canadian administrative and purchasing headquarters are also located at its Granton plant. Michelin has recently invested over $100 million in its Pictou County operations, including the addition of a new tire line and a rubber mixing facility.

Scotsburn Dairy, located in Scotsburn, Pictou County has grown to become Atlantic Canada’s largest dairy products producer. Through private label partnerships, Scotsburn Dairy now produces and distributes its ice cream and novelty products across Canada .

Advocate Printing & Publishing is another homegrown success story. Advocate has grown from a local print shop in Pictou into a modern communications company, serving customers across North America . Technology has fuelled growth, today Advocate boasts one of the most advanced prepress departments in Eastern Canada , a commercial photography studio and a design studio to further meet the distinctive needs of its customers. With expanded operations in New Brunswick , an extensive community newspaper division, a number of sector specific publications and an extensive distribution service, Advocate is regarded as one of the most progressive full service print companies in Eastern Canada .

WearWell Garments and Stright MacKay are two other Pictou County firms that have grown to serve national and international markets. WearWell designs, manufactures and distributes exceptionally high quality career apparel, customized uniform programs and high performance industrial work wear for institutional, food service, industrial and corporate markets. Their production capabilities can service one-off requests, maternity wear or small/limited edition runs to designing an entirely new line and managing extensive uniform programs requiring distribution throughout North America . The company will be launching a new line of flame resistant garments under the trade name Geliget, autumn 2007.

Stright MacKay is a major supplier of marine equipment and supplies for dealers, boat builders, commercial fishers and recreational boaters. In business since 1948, Stright MacKay offers the most comprehensive inventory of marine equipment in Atlantic Canada and utilizes a computerized distribution centre in order to deliver on their promise of exceptional service. In addition to a bustling online, international business, Stright-MacKay has distribution centres in Ontario and Vancouver .

Other major employers in Pictou County include Neenah Paper, wood fibre pulp production and Convergys. Convergy’s is an in-bound call centre providing outsourced solutions in the area of customer care, human resources, software support and billing services that requires specialized knowledge and expertise. The company’s New Glasgow operations underwent a significant expansion recently with the introduction of a new health-care unit that handles customer support for inbound calls from medical services providers for a major U.S. based health-care client.

The area continues to enjoy additional investment in food service, hospitality and recreation with new developments confirmed including the new Highway Industrial Park , Marriott Courtyard and Holiday Inn Express. A new multi-purpose sports complex is also in development. These facilities will greatly expand the region’s ability to host medium sized conventions and sporting events.

A significant community development project was recently announced for New Glasgow, which is embarking upon a $4.2 million revitalization of its downtown core.

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Top Employers in Pictou County

Source: Various Human Resources Departments, 2007

The relative strength of manufacturing in Pictou County can be clearly noted, far outpacing the proportions found in the province as a whole, the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and the adjacent counties of Colchester and Antigonish. As well, the relative importance of retail and wholesale trade is highlighted.

Tourism

Tourism is a major industry in the Nova Scotia with annual revenues in the range of $1.2 to $1.3 billion annually (2003 – 2006, NS Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage). The industry has played a transformative role in the economic, cultural and recreational prospects of Pictou County . Sparked largely by a dramatic waterfront revitalization in Pictou, the late 1980s saw a wave of investment and activity throughout the region that has taken an essentially fledgling industry to one of significance on a provincial scale.

According to the Pictou County Tourist Association, tourism in Pictou County has seen a dramatic increase over the past decade. Tourism receipts for since 2002 have exceeded $40 million per year, and in 2006 there were 800 direct jobs in the tourism industry in Pictou County . The Pictou County Tourist Association is a partner on the provincial vision team working to double tourism revenues in one decade, by 2013.

Tourism Revenue for Nova Scotia by County

Income

The 2001 Census indicates that Pictou County has income levels that are above Nova Scotian levels. Average full-time income in Pictou County is slightly higher (1.9%) than the average Nova Scotian income and the large corporate base in Pictou County results in an earnings stability not enjoyed by some other communities in Atlantic Canada.

Income data from the 2006 Census will be available in 2008.

Educational Attainment

Nova Scotia has a well-educated population, and Pictou County compares favourably to the provincial average.

Source: Statistics Canada , 2001 Census Report. 2006 Census Data will be available in 2008.

Education
& Schools

There have been significant investments in Pictou County ’s education infrastructure in recent years. This decade saw the opening of two new state of the art high schools. The Pictou Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) has recently undergone a major $11 million renovation and expansion. The project provides students with a Power Centre for trades and technology programs, new trades shops, expansion of IT programs, the addition of hospitality and culinary programs, many updated campus facilities and space for up to 364 additional students in the future. 

Pictou County is located less than one hour from Antigonish and St. Francis Xavier University , regarded as the Best Primarily Undergraduate University in Canada (MacLeans). StFX is a leading national university with a longstanding tradition of academic excellence, service to society and innovation in teaching. The institution offers degree accreditation in arts, science, business and information systems and applied programs.

Transportation Links

The location of Pictou County in the centre of Nova Scotia provides access and proximity to a number of major regional, inter-provincial and national transportation routes and facilities. 

Trans-Canada Highway 104, the second busiest 100 series highway in Nova Scotia and the primary east-west traffic corridor in the province runs through the middle of the County. This highway is also the main route to the major tourism destination of Cape Breton Island . Highway 104 crosses into Nova Scotia from the New Brunswick border at Amherst , then travels east linking the towns of Truro , New Glasgow and Port Hasting ( Cape Breton ). The highway services inter-provincial traffic, commercial trucks, tourist vehicles and commuter traffic. Traffic volumes on Highway 104 past the town of New Glasgow average more than 4 million vehicles per year.

Pictou County is just over an hour northeast from the Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport , Atlantic Canada’s gateway to the world. It is the region’s principal full-service airport providing passengers and cargo clients with access to markets across the country, the United States and Europe and the only airport in Atlantic Canada to offer U.S. pre-clearance. Passenger volume continues to increase with recent tallies indicating almost 3.4 million passengers welcomed annually. The airport is an internationally recognized leader in customer service, having received first place awards in the global Airport Service Quality program for the past four years. Operated by Halifax International Airport Authority, the Airport operates with state-of-the-art airfield equipment, and is one of five airports in Canada to provide simultaneous intersecting runway operation. This gives the Airport increased traffic capacity, reduced delays, and an opportunity to offer fuel savings.

Pictou County is also served by its own regional airport located in Trenton , less than 5 km from the most populous of the towns, New Glasgow. The facility is privately owned but open for charter and commercial traffic. A small aircraft charter and training company operates from the facility and corporate aircraft traffic makes regular use of the convenient, accessible and secure location. The airport has two runways (1 x 5000 ft. and 1 x 2200 ft.) complete with runway lighting system, non-directional beacon, PAPI system, and automated weather reporting system.

The Nova Scotia-PEI ferry operated by Northumberland Ferries Ltd. is one of two major tourist routes to access Prince Edward Island . The ferry service docks at Caribou, Pictou County on the Nova Scotia side, which is approximately 20 km from the town of New Glasgow . Annual traffic for this ferry service is 500,000 to 600,000 passengers.