Born in Halifax, Tim Houston was raised in a military family, growing up on bases in Summerside, PEI; Trenton, Ontario; and Comox, British Columbia, before the family returned to Nova Scotia for his father’s retirement posting to Shearwater.
First and foremost, Tim is a dad. He and his wife Carol have two children, Paget and Zachary.
Tim earned a Bachelor of Commerce from Saint Mary’s University and later obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in Halifax. After graduation, he and Carol moved to Bermuda, where he worked with Deloitte and in the reinsurance industry. In 2007, knowing they wanted to raise their children closer to extended family, they returned to Nova Scotia and settled in Pictou County.
In 2020, Tim was awarded the profession’s highest distinction — the Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA) designation — by CPA Nova Scotia.
His love for Nova Scotia and its people — and countless conversations in hockey rinks — sparked an interest in politics. Tim was first elected MLA for Pictou East in 2013, and re-elected in 2017, 2021, and 2024.
He became Leader of the PC Party of Nova Scotia in 2018 and led the party to a majority government in 2021. He was sworn in as Premier on August 31, 2021, and again on December 12, 2024, after forming a second consecutive majority government — this time with an even stronger mandate.
In addition to serving as Premier, Tim is also the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Trade.