BILL NO. 121
(as introduced)
1st Session, 64th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
71 Elizabeth II, 2022
Private Member's Bill
Active Transportation Act
Susan Leblanc
Dartmouth North
First Reading: March 31, 2022
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Support Active Transportation
AND WHERAS transportation accounts for roughly one third of Nova Scotia's greenhouse gas emissions and is the only major emissions sector where emissions are not declining or expected to soon decline substantially;
AND WHEREAS Nova Scotia's share of emissions from transportation is increasing, and therefore critical to address in terms of the climate crisis;
AND WHEREAS active transportation infrastructure is important for health, tourism, economic and environmental reasons;
AND WHEREAS Nova Scotia has an important role to play in both planning and building active transportation infrastructure across Nova Scotia and supporting municipalities, communities, and Mi'kmaw communities to plan and build active transit;
THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Active Transportation Act.
2 In this Act, "active transportation" means walking and cycling infrastructure that is typically made up of paved shoulders, shared lanes, bike lanes, local street bikeways and multi-use trails.
3 The Government shall use the principles of equity, climate change reduction and accessibility in active transportation planning.
4 (1) The Government shall support the development of active transportation plans for every municipality and First Nation in the Province.
(2) The Government shall provide active transportation planners to support and liaise with municipalities and First Nations in the development of their active transportation plans.
5 The Government shall consult with the public, communities, municipalities and First Nations on ways to improve road safety in the Province.
6 (1) The Government shall build a connected active transportation network across the Province by 2030.
(2) The Government shall include adequate funding to complete the network in its capital budget plan for 2023 and each subsequent year until 2030.
(3) The network must include all routes and connections described in the Blue Route network developed by Bicycle Nova Scotia.
7 The Government shall include in all provincial paving projects a shoulder or separated bikeway or trail adequate for safe active transportation.
8 The Government shall fund and support programs that make active transportation accessible and available, including
(a) municipal bike-share programs;
(b) education programs respecting active transportation; and
(c) programs that facilitate access to bicycles and other active transportation equipment.
9 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2022 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created March 31, 2022. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
