BILL NO. 65
(as introduced)
2nd Session, 58th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
50 Elizabeth II, 2001
Well-being Measurement Act
Howard Epstein
Halifax Chebucto
First Reading: May 30, 2001
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Develop and Provide for
the Publication of Measures to Inform
Nova Scotians About the Health and
Well-being of People, Communities
and Ecosystems in Nova Scotia
WHEREAS an important objective of the Legislature is to promote the well-being of Nova Scotians; and
WHEREAS the citizens of Nova Scotia, including members of the House of Assembly, are better able to promote and enhance the well-being of Nova Scotians if they are well informed about the state of well-being of people, communities and ecosystems in the Province:
THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Well-being Measurement Act.
2 In this Act,
(a) "Minister'' means the Minister of Finance;
(b) "Standing Committee'' means the Standing Committee on Public Accounts of the House of Assembly.
3 (1) The Standing Committee shall carry out a study to assist it to make recommendations respecting the definition, development and periodic publication of a set of indicators of the economic, social and environmental well-being of people, communities and ecosystems in the Province.
(2) The set of indicators shall include indicators that are specific to single aspects of well-being and one or more composite indices calculated from a number of the specific indicators.
(3) The set of indicators shall be
(a) published annually in the Royal Gazette and in at least one daily newspaper, subject to any requirement in the report of the Standing Committee as adopted that they be published more frequently; and
(b) made available to the public, in both physical and electronic form, in the manner determined by the management committee established pursuant to subsection 4(1).
(4) The Standing Committee, as a part of its considerations, shall
(a) receive input from the public through submissions and public hearings; and
(b) seek information and advice from individuals and organizations in Canada, the Province and other provinces and from international agencies that have expertise in the measurement of the well-being of people, communities and ecosystems.
(5) The Standing Committee shall prepare recommendations with respect to
(a) the broad societal values on which the set of indicators should be based;
(b) how and under whose authority the development and publication of the set of indicators should be organized and managed and, in particular,
(i) how the Minister should participate in the direction of their development and publication, and
(ii) whether an advisory committee consisting of members of the general public including persons with expertise in economic, social, environmental and statistical matters should be created to advise, on a continuing basis, on their development, calculation and publication, and on the manner in which such a committee should function;
(c) the role which the Government of the Province should play in the development and publication of the set of indicators;
(d) whether further legislation is advisable to govern the development and publication of the set of indicators; and
(e) other aspects of the definition, development and publication of the set of indicators.
(6) The Standing Committee shall report its recommendations to the House of Assembly on the matters set out in subsection (5) no later than the third day on which the House sits following the expiry of twelve months after the coming into force of this Act.
4 (1) Where the report of the Standing Committee as presented by the Committee or as amended by the House of Assembly is adopted by the House, the Minister shall, in accordance with the report as adopted, establish a management committee consisting of the Minister and such other members as the Minister appoints.
(2) The management committee shall direct the development and publication of the set of indicators in accordance with the report as adopted.
5 (1) A summary of all actions taken pursuant to this Act shall be published in full, in accordance with the report as adopted, by the Minister no later than three years from the adoption of the report.
(2) Such of the specific indicators and composite indices as have been calculated shall be published by the Minister
(a) no later than one year after the date of the adoption of the report; and
(b) no later than two years after the date of the adoption of the report.
6 (1) The Minister shall prepare and submit to the House of Assembly an annual report analyzing and evaluating the current well-being of the people, communities and ecosystems in the Province in accordance with the set of indicators published pursuant to Section 5.
(2) The first report of the Minister shall be submitted within ninety days of the first publication of the set of indicators under subsection 5(2).
7 (1) The moneys required for the purpose of this Act shall be paid out of moneys appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose.
(2) The duties of the Standing Committee and the Minister under this Act are subject to subsection (1).
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2001 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created May 30, 2001. Send comments to legc.office@gov.ns.ca.
