Government Supports Initiatives

The Nova Scotia Sport and Recreation Commission will provide funds to hire a co-ordinator for the Trans-Canada trail and to provide outdoor leadership training for youth and women.

The $70,000 investment was announced in the House of Assembly today by Sport and Recreation Minister Rodney MacDonald.

"Our natural environments are among Nova Scotia’s greatest assets," said Mr. MacDonald. “We need to make sure they’re being used, and protected, by knowledgeable people. These investments are another step in making the outdoor experiences of Nova Scotians and visitors safe, enjoyable and protective of the environment.”

A $50,000 grant to the Nova Scotia Trails Federation will support the hiring of the Trans-Canada Trail co-ordinator for the coming year. An experienced trail co-ordinator provides expertise and support to community groups and municipalities as they plan and develop further sections of the trail.

The Trans-Canada Trail is an ongoing government millennium project. Thousands of volunteers and organizations all through the province continue to work on extending this network of trails.

The remaining $20,000 will go to outdoor initiatives for youth and women.

The youth program will recruit and train mentors, who will then encourage young people to learn how to lead in the outdoors.

The women’s initiative will train women to lead groups in all sorts of outdoor situations, from wilderness survival to tourist nature walks. It complements the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program administered by the Department of Natural Resources.

These investments are being made under the Nova Scotia Outdoor Leadership Development Program (NSOLD), a commission initiative guided by a voluntary committee. About 35 of the province’s best outdoor leaders are involved in delivering its programs. For 22 years, the program has developed the outdoor and leadership skills of thousands of Nova Scotians through weekend modules and a five-day leadership school.