I've read through the Nova Scotia Residential Tenancies Act, and my understanding is that if an individual rents a room from the Lease Holder of a multi-bedroom apartment (and the leasee is also staying in the apartment), and that the new individual is not added to the original lease, they will still have a Tenant-Landlord relationship, but it will be with the person they are renting from (and that person would have a Tenant-Landlord relationship with the landlord of the property). Some provinces have exceptions to the RTA if the landlord and the "tenant" share common areas like the kitchen and bathroom, but I see no such exceptions in Nova Scotia.
Specifically, Section 3, Application of Act, states:
(1) Notwithstanding any agreement, declaration, waiver or statement to the contrary, this Act applies when the relation of landlord and tenant exists between a person and an individual in respect of residential premises.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the relation of landlord and tenant is deemed to exist in respect of residential premises between an individual and a person when an individual
(a) possesses or occupies residential premises and has paid or agreed to pay rent to the person;
(b) makes an agreement with the person by which the individual is granted the right to possess or occupy residential premises in consideration of the payment of or promise to pay rent;
(c) has possessed or occupied residential premises and has paid or agreed to pay rent to the person. R.S., c. 401, s. 3.
And section 2(j) states:
(j) tenant” means
(i) an individual who has paid or agreed to pay rent tooccupy residential premises,
(ii) an individual who is permitted to occupy residentialpremises under an assignment or sublet to which the landlord hasconsented under Section 9B, and
(iii) an heir, assign or personal representative of an individ-ual referred to in subclause (i) or (ii);
I want to verify that I'm understanding the Act correctly, and that the RTA does apply to both parties (the original leasee and his landlord, and the leasee and his tenant).