Transit | People | Places | Tomorrow.

Rail Connects Nova Scotia Alliance is a not-for-profit coalition of diverse sectors, interests, and individuals. It builds on the efforts and vision developed by Leading with Transit to make public transit the first and best choice for getting around.

The objective of Rail Connects Nova Scotia is to raise awareness of public transit throughout Nova Scotia and, with community engagement, develop a preliminary concept of what a province wide Rail Rapid Transit system might look like and how it could operate.

We also want to secure the resources to explore and illustrate, with selected pilot communities around the province, local design development of the concept (including community hubs/stations, transit-oriented development, and the operation of feeder systems) to demonstrate the difference that public transit can make to the lives of Nova Scotians. Investing in a Rail Rapid Transit system now is urgent and will be transformational; it will enable growth, positively impact the health of Nova Scotians, improve housing affordability, provide economic benefits for our province, and is key to meeting Nova Scotia’s climate change goals.

Our current reliance on cars is not sustainable nor is it practical or healthy. It is expensive for both the individual and for society. Moving more vehicles no matter how they are fueled is an endless proposition. The more roads and highways that are built, at enormous public cost, the more traffic they attract, the more public space they occupy and the more difficult they make walking and biking. This makes life even more difficult particularly for those who are too young, too old, too poor or prefer not to drive

Promotes Smart Growth

• In appropriate, suburban, and rural areas throughout HRM.
• In rural communities throughout Nova Scotia.
• In tourism and business attraction.
• In transit-oriented development that can contribute to infrastructure costs.
Offers Health Benefits

• Lower rates of respiratory and heart disease.
• Much lower accident rates.
• Improved quality of life - allows aging in place and fosters a more active lifestyle.
• Provides access to health services for older people and those who don't have a car.
Serves Equitability

• Provides opportunities for affordable housing.
• It offers access to services, jobs, and recreation.
• Makes it possible for the most vulnerable populations (youth, older, lower income and rural residents) to have direct and more independent access to healthcare, education, employment, friends and opportunities.
Promotes Economic Benefits

• It substantially reduces transportation costs for the individual.
• The Government spends +/-$ 500,000,000 building and maintaining highways with limited return on investment. The payback on public transit is estimated at 3:1. The economic benefit of Canada's existing transit systems is at least $10 billion annually - transit is a key ingredient in attracting new business operations, highly skilled workers, and more tourists.
Rail Rapid Transit is key to Achieving the Provincial Climate Change Objectives

Now is the time and Nova Scotia is the place to invent, develop and build a public transit system which will grow our population, our economy, build and celebrate our assets, and make us more inclusive and attractive as a province.

History

Rail Connects is at the intersection of 4 significant lines of thought and action that will determine the future of Nova Scotia and HRM:

The idea and efforts of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Nova Scotia (BOMA) to create a commuter rail system for HRM and surrounding regions.

The proposition developed and advanced by Leading with Transit to build a province wide public transit system (spine) that links small communities and large urban centres.

Ideas expressed in HRM’s Integrated Mobility Plan, and the Provincial commitment to the creation of a Regional Transportation Authority ,both of which link transportation to land use and placemaking. and

The importance of this moment in dealing with climate change, creating resilient and vibrant neighborhoods, reducing dependence on the automobile and growing cities and towns around public transit. The status quo is not healthy, nor is it equitable, and it’s clearly not sustainable.

For some time now the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Nova Scotia has been exploring and advocating for a commuter rail line to connect through HRM to surrounding rural communities. The idea is powerful, and it establishes the need for an effective rail transit link between the major urban area in the province and the larger region (and points of entry). This proposal was based upon a battery charged train system with the power required for the charging to be from renewable sourced energy. Except for one small area in the downtown core, it was located entirely within the former and existing rail right-of-way. More detailed information about the concept can be found here.

HRM has created and adopted an Integrated Mobility Plan. The Plan makes a powerful and persuasive case for public transit of high quality with some priority over other traffic. It links transit with land use and active transportation. The system is focused on Bus Rapid Transit contained largely within an urban boundary. The concept is constrained in scope, ambition and time frame. It doesn’t deal with rural areas or regional transit. It has a short 5-year timeframe. It doesn’t attempt to change the modal split (transit ridership) in any significant way; transit buses are still mixed to a large extent with other traffic and transit stops/stations haven’t been improved.

The provincial government through its latest initiatives has recognized the need for change and action in 3 priority areas: health, housing and transportation. the truth is that each of these areas is important and requires attention. Its also true that they are interconnected and difficult to resolve on their own.

Over the last 3 or 4 years, Leading with Transit, brought together Business improvement Districts from across HRM, community groups from around the Province, Planning organizations, local economic development agencies, environmental groups, affordable housing proponents, health providers, Citizens for public transit and 100”s of people/residents from across the province, to develop the idea that light rail public transit is essential to HRM and Nova Scotia’s future. Leading with Transit is seen as the vision for Nova Scotia. It will affect how we think about transportation if public transit is becomes the best and first choice for everyone. It affects housing affordability Through Transit Oriented development at stations across the province; it will encourage walking and biking and make more room for people on the street: improve health and access to health and other services; attract more business and people to the province: improves tourism potential and affect our economy, while it also responds to climate change. The idea is described in the Leading with Transit Document

All of this has led to the creation of Rail Connects Nova Scotia: we are now poised to collaboratively make change happen through Transformational Public Transit