Tim Houston

Timothy Jerome Houston (born April 10, 1970) is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 2013 provincial election. A member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia, he represents the electoral district of Pictou East. Houston serves as the Leader of the Opposition.

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Houston lived in different places around the world as his father was in the military. His family eventually re-settled in Halifax and Houston attended Halifax West High School.

Houston attended Saint Mary's University, graduating in 1992 with a Bachelor of Commerce. He then moved to Bermuda, working there as a consultant from 1995 to 2007. Houston then worked as a chartered accountant and as a financial consultant with Deloitte.

On November 27, 2012, Houston won the Progressive Conservative nomination in the riding of Pictou East for the 2013 Nova Scotia general election.

He was elected MLA of Pictou East on October 8, 2013, with 48.08% of the vote.

Houston was re-elected on May 30, 2017 with 73.88% of the vote.

On November 19, 2017, Houston announced his candidacy for theleadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia.

Houston was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party after the first ballot results were announced on October 27, 2018 at the Party's Leadership Convention in Halifax. Houston earned 48.96% of the points on the first ballot, leaving other candidates no clear path to victory. The other candidates conceded after the first ballot.

In 2017, it came to light that his name had been mentioned several times in the Paradise Papers. Additionally, he has been publicly open to the option of fracking in Nova Scotia, a controversial stance.

Houston lives in Pictou County with his wife Carol, and children Paget and Zachary.

Houston has been in the news due to controversy over his past. In 2017, it came to light that his name had been mentioned several times in the Paradise Papers.