While Ontario and British Columbia may get all the attention, Nova Scotia is a wonderful province with a lot to love. This province has birthed many famous individuals who have gone on to contribute to the arts, sports, politics and much more. Here are some of our favorite Nova Scotians. 

Scott Wellenbach

Professional poker player Scott Wellenbach has an advantage over the competition. While he is now considered among the best in the world, he doesn’t play for the cash, just the love of the game. He works full time as a translator of Sanskrit and Tibetan Buddhist texts and plays in his off-time. Wellenbach has described himself as someone who is fascinated by the mechanics of poker.

Recently, Scott Wellenbach has been finding ways to adjust amid his latest flurry of attention. Ever since taking third place in the PCA Main Event in 2019, Wellenbach has become a recognizable name in the poker world. He has quickly risen to become one of the best poker players in Canada today, and has several high placings to show for it. His personality is what makes him so endearing, as he is certainly not what you would expect from a high-stakes poker player. 

Sidney Crosby

As most locals know, Sidney “Sid the Kid” Crosby was born and raised in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Crosby is one of the greatest players in the NHL today, and certainly one that all ice hockey fans recognize. In 2007, he became the youngest player to ever captain a hockey team when he stepped up to the position for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In turn, he led the team to three championship victories in 2009, 2016, and 2017. 

Crosby has had enormous pressure on him since he started in the league. Before he was even drafted, he was drawing comparisons to another Canadian hockey player you may have heard of: Wayne Gretzky. Luckily Crosby has continuously risen to expectations. He was the youngest player in history to score 100 points in a single season, points being the combination of goals and assists. We are certainly proud to have this legendary athlete come from Nova Scotia. 

Sarah McLachlan

Grammy award winning singer Sarah McLachlan was born in Halifax in 1968 and lived here for all of her early life before becoming famous for her musical abilities. It was at the local Dalhousie University concert that McLachlan was discovered by a talent scout after a performance with her band, The October Game.

Of course, most people who were alive in the 1990s are familiar with McLachlan and her exceptional career. She has sold over 40 million albums to date, and her record Surfacing won two Grammy awards and four Juno awards in 1998. McLachlan still has various residences around Canada, staying close to her roots. 

The Cast of Trailer Park Boys

Trailer Park Boys was a huge hit show across Canada and around the world. It’s among the few Canadian shows to really break out in the US, where it gained a massive following. Against the odds, the show has been very successful with 12 seasons and plenty of spinoffs as well as movie specials. While the show takes place in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, you may be surprised to know that many of the real life actors are also from this area, and this is how they inject a lot of local humor and mannerisms in their performances. 

All three of the main characters, Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles (Robb Wells, John Paul Tremblay, and Mike Smith), were raised in the Nova Scotia area. Their main antagonist counterparts Mr. Lahey and Randy (John Dunsworth and Patrick Roach), are also from Nova Scotia. The same can be said for numerous characters that have come and gone over the years, and somehow after two decades the show is still going. 

Sloan

Sloan are a four-piece Canadian rock band that have been around since 1991. In that time, they have released 12 full albums making them a hardworking and persevering band that have survived multiple decades. The band are originally from Halifax, where half of the members, Chris Murphy and Andrew Scott, are from. For 20 years, Sloan were among the 25 best selling Canadian musicians.