EAST HANTS: A local community organization that serves those in East Hants and the Fall River/Waverley area is one of the groups announced June 7 as receiving public transportation funding from the province.
East Hants Community Rider will get $105,366; MusGo Rider, rural HRM will see funding to the tune of $82,799; and MusGo Valley-Sheet Harbour will receive $58,598.
The money is part of $4.7 million the province is investing to improve access to public transportation across Nova Scotia.
Reliable community transportation allows people to access services, including going to work, shopping, attending medical appointments and getting their COVID-19 vaccines.
“Community transportation programs are essential for many Nova Scotians, both in rural and urban communities,” said Lloyd Hines, Minister of Transportation and Active Transit. “These programs offer full-service transportation to meet the daily needs of residents, especially important at a time when restrictions start lifting and people need to get around.”
Twenty-five projects will receive funding through the Community Transportation Assistance Program and the Public Transit Assistance Program this fiscal year.
The Community Transportation Assistance Program is providing more than $1.8 million in operating funding to 19 door-to-door community transportation services.
The Public Transit Assistance Program is providing $2,925,000 to municipalities and community organizations providing fixed route transit services. The funding is used towards capital purchases such as new buses.
Quotes:
“Supporting and increasing access to our transit system is a top priority for Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Provincial government support for new buses makes transportation affordable, reduces the environmental impact of commuting and helps our economy move forward.”
– Amanda McDougall, mayor, Cape Breton Regional Municipality
“We are grateful for these funding streams because it goes a long way in a small community like ours. This funding allows us to provide both fixed route services and door-to-door services, which has been incredibly helpful to our clients who often use us to attend medical appointments, access food, pick-up prescriptions and even get their COVID vaccinations.”
– Madonna van Vonderen, executive director, Antigonish Community Transportation Society
[adtrotate group=”7″]
Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 9)
Quick Facts:
— this funding is part of the work of Nova’s Scotia’s Strengthening Communities through Transportation action plan; more information available at: https://cch.novascotia.ca/investing-in-our-future/community-transportation-action-plan-strengthening-communities-through-transportation
— improving access to community transportation is a cornerstone of government’s Poverty Reduction Blueprint, Community Transportation Action Plan and is identified as a priority in SHIFT Nova Scotia’s Action Plan for an Aging Population; more information available at: https://novascotia.ca/shift/
— the communities of Stellarton, New Glasgow and Eskasoni First Nation will be launching transit services this year and will be eligible for funding through these two programs during next fiscal year
Additional Resources:
Community Transportation Assistance Program funding application: https://beta.novascotia.ca/apply-funding-operating-costs-community-based-transportation-service-community-transportation-assistance-program
Public Transit Assistance Program funding application: https://beta.novascotia.ca/apply-funding-buy-capital-assets-fixed-route-transit-services-run-municipalities-and-community-organizations-public-transit-assistance-program
Community Transportation Assistance Program recipients:
— Antigonish County Transit Society, $85,580
— BayRides, St. Margarets Bay area, $57,065
— CHAD Transit, Pictou County, $171,569
— Chester Community Wheels, $61,396
— Colchester Transportation Cooperative Ltd., $172,492
— Cumberland County Transportation Society, $146,360
— HOPE Dial-a-Ride, Yarmouth County, $96,225
— Kings Point-To-Point Transit, Kings County, $150,294
— La Coopérative de Transport de Chéticamp Lté, $45,582
— Le Transport de Clare, $91,104
— Queens Transit Society, $65,879
— Sou’West Nova Transit, Shelburne County, $78,800
— Strait Area Transit, $96,984
— Trans County Transportation Society, Annapolis and Western Kings counties, $129,928
— Victoria County Transit, $63,689
— West Hants Dial-a-Ride, $76,598
Public Transit Assistance Program recipients:
— Halifax Regional Municipality $2,000,000
— Cape Breton Regional Municipality $425,000
— Kings Transit $375,000
— Town of Yarmouth $25,000
— Town of Bridgewater $25,000
— Antigonish Community Transportation Society $25,000
— Strait Area Transit $50,000
