A Historic Milestone: Naturopathic Doctors Are Now Regulated in Nova Scotia
As of May 27, 2026, naturopathic doctors officially became a regulated health profession in Nova Scotia, making us the 22nd profession licensed under the province’s Regulated Health Professions Act. Nova Scotia is now the first province in Atlantic Canada, and the seventh in Canada, to regulate NDs.
This is a big deal.
For years, naturopathic doctors in this province, more specifically a handful of my colleagues, have been working hard to earn the formal recognition in Nova Scotia that our training and our patients deserve. Regulation means public accountability. It means that when you walk into an appointment with a naturopathic doctor in Nova Scotia, you can know with confidence that your ND has met rigorous educational and professional standards.
We are now overseen by the Nova Scotia Chiropractic and Naturopathic Regulator (NSCNR), and while the full scope of practice is still being defined, the association anticipates it will be one of the most progressive in the country.
For my patients — this changes nothing about the care you already receive, and everything about the recognition behind it. You have always been in good hands, as we’ve had to hold a license elsewhere to practice here. But now the province officially agrees.
I am proud to be one of approximately 85 naturopathic doctors in Nova Scotia, and incredibly grateful to the Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors and everyone who advocated tirelessly to make this happen.
Here’s to the next chapter. 🌿
— Dr. Karen Wallace