Open pen salmonid (salmon and trout) aquaculture has significant negative impacts on marine environments, wild salmonids and commercially fished species through disease transfer, sea lice infection, toxic pesticide residue, and pollution of the sea floor and shoreline. The Nova Scotia government is currently supporting the unprecedented expansion of industrial scale open pen salmonid aquaculture from the Bay of Fundy to the Bras D’or Lakes without consideration of the damage caused by this industry in other jurisdictions. The province has not fully examined the economic impacts on traditional and sustainable local industries, such as tourism, commercial and recreational fisheries. Communities have the right to determine their economic future and privately held companies should not be permitted to wield undue influence over government decision making and public funding.