News release

Province Pursues Passenger Rail Feasibility Study

Link Nova Scotia
Public Works

The Province is calling on qualified consultants to carry out a passenger rail feasibility study. A request for supplier qualification (RFSQ) was issued today, August 19.

Identified as a key action in the recently released Regional Transportation Plan and in the Province’s response, the rail study will assess potential opportunities and challenges associated with light rail transit in Halifax Regional Municipality and passenger rail in the broader region.

“Passenger and light rail has the potential to reshape travel for Nova Scotians by providing a safe, reliable and high-capacity form of transit service,” said Public Works Minister Fred Tilley. “While a project like this could be transformative, it’s also incredibly complex. The passenger rail feasibility study will ensure that any decisions related to rail in the province are researched, evidence-based and tailored for Nova Scotians.”

The multi-part study will:

  • evaluate and screen possible regional and urban corridors
  • advance conceptual designs for options in the selected corridors
  • provide an evidence-based evaluation of options
  • include a long-term transit phasing strategy to support growth, network resiliency and strategic corridor preservation.

Qualified firms have until September 16 to submit their response.

Quick Facts:

  • Link Nova Scotia released the Regional Transportation Plan on August 6
  • the passenger rail feasibility study is recommended in Action 3.1.3 in the plan
  • the Regional Transportation Plan was developed using best practices from other regions in Canada, scenario and network planning, and leading-edge tools such as an activity-based transportation demand model
  • the area studied includes 63 per cent of Nova Scotia’s population, 15 municipalities, five First Nations communities and 19 historic African Nova Scotian communities

Additional Resources:

Request for Supplier Qualification package: https://procurement-portal.novascotia.ca/tenders/RFSQ-LINK-2025-001

Regional Transportation Plan and Government Response: https://linknovascotia.ca/regional-transportation-plan/

Link Nova Scotia:

Department of Public Works on X: https://x.com/NS_PublicWorks

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