Over the last decade, the NS Department of Health Promotion and Protection (HPP) has both supported and been actively involved in the area of AT in Nova Scotia. By supporting trail development in the province, infrastructure now exists that allows citizens to choose active modes of transportation over motorized use. As well, HPP's focus on physical activity, sport and recreation, enables AT to take a place in the promotion of active lifestyles.
The department is also engaged in the following:
- funding projects that support AT (e.g., Recreation Facility Development Program, Community Recreation Capital Grant Program, the Active Kids/Healthy Kids Strategy, etc.)
- linking to other government departments for community groups and municipalities that are working on AT related initiatives.
- sharing of information and resources (NS Trail Information Project, the Developing Recreational Trails in Nova Scotia manual, the delivery and co-delivery of provincial and regional AT/ trail workshops and conferences, etc.)
- developing effective policy and legislation that supports AT (e.g., Rails to Trails Policy introduced in 1997, which allows for the conversion of abandoned rail-beds to recreational trails).
