Local Activators Progam

Safer Steps Chebucto is proud to be part of the Ecology Action Centre’s Local Activators Program, supporting community-led projects that make it easier, safer and more inviting for people to walk, wheel and bike in their communities.

Through the program, Safer Steps Chebucto received funding to bring practical active transportation improvements to communities throughout Chebucto.

Outcomes We are Working Towards: 

Our Local Activators project is focused on making people walking and rolling more visible, improving awareness on our roads, and creating small but meaningful pieces of infrastructure that support active transportation.

Our proposal and ideas include:

• Speed Display Signs at key locations to encourage drivers to slow down and increase awareness of vehicle speeds; this data will be shared with HRP, Public Works and elected officials to make data-centred decisions around speed, infrastructure and road design

• Wayfinding signage to help identify walking and cycling routes and better connect destinations throughout our communities.

• Making Walking Visible: a community-focused video project highlighting the people who walk our roads, the places they are trying to reach, and why safer active transportation infrastructure matters here.

• Exploring the potential for a bike repair stand at Williamswood Recreation Park; creating a convenient place for cyclists to make basic repairs and adjustments while travelling through the community.

Why It Matters

In rural communities like ours, walking and cycling often happen on roads that were never designed with active transportation in mind. There may be no sidewalks, limited shoulders, high vehicle speeds and few places where people walking are clearly visible or expected.

These projects are one part of our broader effort to change that.

By pairing physical improvements with education, visibility and community advocacy, we’re working toward roads where children, families, seniors, cyclists and everyone travelling outside of a vehicle can feel safer and more connected to their community.

Building Toward Something Bigger

The Local Activators Program complements Safer Steps Chebucto’s ongoing advocacy for larger infrastructure and policy changes, including the Rural Sidewalk Program, provincial Main Street Designation, traffic calming measures and safer pedestrian connections throughout our communities.

Small changes can make an immediate difference — while also helping demonstrate the demand for safer, more accessible ways to get around.

We’re grateful to the Ecology Action Centre for supporting locally driven solutions and helping communities like ours turn advocacy into action.