The program allows the province to nominate skilled workers to settle as permanent residents in Nova Scotia, but officials said a pause was needed because of overwhelming demand.
As businesses still recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and deal with the repayment of the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), some are now also struggling with rising costs.
The restaurant sector took the greatest advantage of provincial grant programs through the COVID-19 pandemic, but challenges for the industry remain as the province removed the last traces of the COVID-19 protection order Tuesday.