BILL NO. 201
(as introduced)
1st Session, 65th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
4 Charles III, 2026
Government Bill
Justice and Social Services Act
The Honourable Barbara Adams
Minister of Opportunities and Social Development
First Reading: February 25, 2026
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
Explanatory Notes
Clause 1 sets out the short title of this Act.
Clauses 2 to 4 amend the Beneficiaries Designation Act to
(a) allow for the designation of beneficiaries for all types of plans under the Act by electronic signature; and
(b) provide that electronic signatures must meet the requirements for an electronic signature under the Electronic Commerce Act.
Clause 5 amends the Children and Family Services Act to allow the Minister of Community Services to provide services to a person between 19 and 25 years of age who was a child in care or was a party to a services agreement or a placement agreement.
Clause 6 corrects an error in the Act.
Clause 7 provides that the name and other prescribed information of a person who receives an absolute or conditional discharge in respect of an offence against or involving a child is to be entered in the Child Abuse Register.
(a) clarifies that the prohibition on publishing certain identifying information includes publishing through the use of social media;
(b) clarifies that the prohibitions on publication continue after the death of the child and after the hearing or proceeding ends; and
(c) provides exceptions to the prohibitions on publication to the Minister and to children 16 years of age or more.
Clause 9 allows the Governor in Council to make regulations prescribing the services that the Minister may provide to persons between 19 and 25 years of age.
Clauses 10 and 11 amend the Domestic Violence Intervention Act to increase the maximum duration for which an emergency protection order may be made or extended from a period of 30 days to a period of one year.
Clauses 12 to 15 enable the addition of social workers to the Regulated Health Professions Act.
Clause 16 provides for the coming into force of certain Sections of this Act.
An Act Respecting
Justice and Social Services
Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Justice and Social Services Act.
2 Chapter 36 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Beneficiaries Designation Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 3 the following Section:
- 3A (1) Where, in accordance with the terms of a plan, a participant designates a person or persons to receive a benefit payable under the plan in the event of the plan holder's death, a requirement for a signature is satisfied by an electronic signature.
(2) An electronic signature made under subsection (1) must meet the requirements for an electronic signature under the Electronic Commerce Act.
(3) This Section applies to a designation made before or after the coming into force of this Section.
3 (1) Subsection 9(1) of Chapter 36, as amended by Chapter 6 of the Acts of 2025, is further amended by striking out "and Section 9A".
(2) Subsection 9(3) of Chapter 36 is amended by adding "3A," immediately after "Sections".
4 Section 9A of Chapter 36 is repealed.
5 Chapter 5 of the Acts of 1990, the Children and Family Services Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 14 the following Section:
- 14A The Minister may provide services, as prescribed by the regulations, to a person who is nineteen years of age or more and less than twenty-six years of age who, before reaching nineteen years of age, was a child in care or was a party to a written agreement pursuant to Section 19 or 19A.
6 Clause 45A(b) of Chapter 5, as enacted by Chapter 37 of the Acts of 2015, is amended by striking out "less" and substituting "more".
7 Subsection 63(2) of Chapter 5, as amended by Chapter 37 of the Acts of 2015, is further amended by
(a) striking out "or" at the end of clause (b); and
(b) adding immediately after clause (b) the following clause:
- (ba) the person receives an absolute or conditional discharge in respect of an offence against or involving a child pursuant to the Criminal Code (Canada) as prescribed in the regulations; or
8 (1) Subsection 94(1) of Chapter 5 is amended by adding ", including through the use of social media," immediately after "public".
(2) Section 94 of Chapter 5 is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (4) the following subsections:
- (5) For greater certainty, the prohibitions in subsections (1) and (3) continue
(a) after the death of the child; and
(b) after the hearing or proceeding ends.
(6) Notwithstanding subsections (1) to (5),
(a) the Minister may publish or consent to the publication of
- (i) information that has the effect of identifying a child who is a witness at or a participant in a hearing or the subject of a proceeding pursuant to this Act, or a parent or guardian, a foster parent or a relative of the child, or
(ii) a report of such hearing or proceeding, or part thereof,
if, in the opinion of the Minister, the publication is in the child's best interest or is necessary for the proper administration of justice; and
(b) a child who is sixteen years of age or more may publish or consent to the publication of information that has the effect of revealing that the child is a witness at or a participant in a hearing or the subject of a proceeding pursuant to this Act.
9 Subsection 99(1) of Chapter 5, as amended by Chapter 7 of the Acts of 1994-95, Chapter 3 of the Acts of 1996, Chapter 3 of the Acts of 2001, Chapter 5 of the Acts of 2002 and Chapter 37 of the Acts of 2015, is further amended by adding immediately after clause (d) the following clause:
- (da) prescribing the services that the Minister may provide to persons nineteen years of age or more and less than twenty-six years of age;
10 Subsection 8(2) of Chapter 29 of the Acts of 2001, the Domestic Violence Intervention Act, as amended by Chapter 6 of the Acts of 2015, is further amended by striking out "thirty days" and substituting "one year".
11 Subsection 12(4) of Chapter 29 is amended by striking out "thirty days" and substituting "one year".
12 Chapter 15 of the Acts of 2023, the Regulated Health Professions Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 200 the following Section:
- 200A Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1993, the Social Workers Act, is repealed.
13 Section 201 of Chapter 15 is amended by
(a) striking out "and" at the end of clause (c);
(b) striking out the period at the end of clause (d) and substituting "; and"; and
(c) adding immediately after clause (d) the following clause:
- (e) striking out "Social Workers" in the first line of subclause (v) and substituting "regulations made under the Regulated Health Professions".
14 Section 230 of Chapter 15 is amended by adding immediately after subsection (1) the following subsection:
- (1A) Subsection 9(3) of Chapter 48 is repealed.
15 Chapter 15 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 231 the following Section:
- 231A Subsection 17(10) of Chapter 48 is repealed.
16 (1) Sections 5 and 7 to 9 come into force on such day as the Governor in Council orders and declares by proclamation.
(2) Section 6 has effect on and after March 17, 2015.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2026 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created February 25, 2026. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
