Western Zone

The best of the land matched with the best of the sea. If the magic and character of historical fishing villages pulls at your heartstrings, this zone brings a modern flair to that dream. Between lighthouses, rugged coastline, and the fertile Annapolis Valley are towns and villages where history lives brightly, and modern amenities make family life a joy to experience.

The Annapolis Valley is the agricultural heartland of the province—it’s cultivated an award-winning wine industry and features countless charming communities to call home. Just over one of the mountain ranges that defines the Valley, the Bay of Fundy flexes its powerful muscles—with 160 billion tons of seawater flowing in and out each day.

At southern tip of Nova Scotia you become engulfed by a rugged and charming coastline, dotted with lighthouses. The southwest is ground zero for the intersection of two founding cultures in Nova Scotia, the French-speaking Acadians and English-speaking communities, creating modern towns and villages of great character and warmth.

Finally, the South Shore offers historic communities such as Lunenburg (home base for the Bluenose II Schooner), Liverpool, and Mahone Bay. This area was traditionally defined by fishing and shipbuilding. Today it’s also rich territory for award winning breweries and wonderful dining and shopping.

The Western Zone is home to three regional hospitals—in Bridgewater, Yarmouth, and Kentville—five community hospitals, two community health centres and one Collaborative Emergency Centre. Valley Regional Hospital in Kentville is the regional referral centre for Annapolis Valley and beyond, offering a wide range of healthcare services, including medicine, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, intensive care, emergency, psychiatry, and addictions.