The Provincial government has made an exciting (generational and unprecedented!) commitment for an Active Transportation (AT) Strategy for the province of Nova Scotia. An active transportation strategy sets out ways to ensure better options for active transportation including things such as walking, cycling, and rolling.

Active transportation improves our health and well-being while also getting us from point A to B. It is vital to our economy and tourism sectors and plays an essential role in connected and consistent multi-modal transportation systems that support more equitable, vibrant, livable communities. Increases in active transportation reduce healthcare costs, noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality.

Cycling Nova Scotia sees the Provincial AT Strategy as an opportunity to ensure that past investments in active transportation are met with future ambition and vision. Cycling Nova Scotia is being consulted by the government on the AT Strategy and we would love to hear your thoughts so we can echo them forward during our consultation!

The Provincial Government has hired WSP Global Inc. and Stuckless Consulting Inc. to manage and facilitate engagement on the AT Strategy. Cycling Nova Scotia is a key stakeholder in the province’s engagement on the AT Strategy and we are pleased to offer our support and advocate for an ambitious and well-organized strategy with government liability.

In partnership with the Ecology Action Centre, we sent a letter to applicable Ministers and Deputy Ministers as an offer of support and participation in the AT Strategy. We included a list of recommendations for what we believe should be included in the strategy such as:

  • targets, timelines, and measurable indicators for success, standards for AT infrastructure and wayfinding,
  • a governance structure that breaks down silos between departments and levels of government, that is accountable, and is not on the shoulders of volunteer organizations,
  • enabling and incentivizing policies and laws that ensure safe cycling, and allow municipalities to make progress on active transportation,
  • a commitment to shifting our culture, from one that places barriers to active transportation to one that incentivizes active transportation, and,
  • a lens on equity.

See the full letter here.

To provide your thoughts on active transportation in Nova Scotia to Cycling Nova Scotia, please fill out the form in the link below. Cycling Nova Scotia will be collecting feedback until June 1, 2023.

LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! <——— Click this to get to the form.

Please Note: The information you provide on the form will be used by Cycling Nova Scotia to inform the feedback we provide to the Province as part of their partner consultations. It is not being submitted directly to the Province.

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