Impact Organizations of Nova Scotia (IONS) published the 2025 State of the Sector Summary Report, which provides insights into the state of the sector in Nova Scotia. According to IONS, there are 7,504 diverse organizations in Nova Scotia, across 11 subsectors, a slight decrease from 7,562 in 2022, with decreases in both registered charities and registered nonprofits. IONS reports that the sector contributed $1.426 billion to Nova Scotia’s GDP in 2023, which is an increase from $1.096 billion in 2020. The report features key insights from the IONS 2025 State of the Sector Survey, which was circulated in February and March 2025, and received 115 survey responses.
Key Findings:
- 54% of organizations have seen their revenue increase over the past 3 years.
- 63% of organizations identified government funding as their #1 source of revenue, compared with 19% identifying corporate or non-corporate private donations as their #1 source of funding.
- 76% of respondents with employees consider a living wage when setting wages, but only 40% are able to pay a living wage to all employees, likely due to a lack of funding.
- Recruitment was identified as a major concern for organizations, with the top 3 recruitment challenges being:
- Competition from employers in the sector.
- Difficulty finding qualified labour in the local area.
- Expectations of prospective employees (wages, benefits, etc.) are too high.
To access the 2025 State of the Sector Summary Report, click here.
