In a recent article for the Halifax Examiner, Geneviève Boulet (Mount Saint Vincent University) and Nathaniel Street (MSVU) argue that the goals for Government of Nova Scotia’s Bill 12—which received Royal Assent in March 2025—are not achievable under the bill’s current scope. They explain that the legislation was intended to improve sustainability and accountability in higher education. However, its focus on academic units fails to consider issues with administration, governance, and underfunding that “made universities unsustainable in the first place.” Boulet and Street argue that the bill grants the provincial government new powers while avoiding sufficient understanding of and scrutiny of the situation. They conclude by proposing other efforts, such as transparent reporting on administrative structures and costs, that could improve sustainability and accountability.
