Regional Transportation Plan

Link Nova Scotia (formerly the Joint Regional Transportation Agency) addressing transportation issues associated with the rapid growth taking place in Halifax and surrounding communities. To achieve this, we're developing a Regional Transportation Plan.

The Regional Transportation Plan will create a long-term, coordinated vision for our regional transportation system. The plan will guide integrated transportation and land use decision-making and infrastructure investments for all modes of transportation. Improving the flow of people and goods in and out of Halifax and surrounding communities is vital to all Nova Scotians.

To achieve this, we need to work together, cultivating new and existing partnerships and building solid long-lasting relationships locally, regionally, and nationally. Collaboration is one of the key values of the JRTA, and collaborative decision-making will be critical to the success of the JRTA and the development and execution of the Regional Transportation Plan.

Past Engagement

What We Heard

Thank you to those that visited our drop-in sessions on the Regional Transportation Plan. Our What We Heard report that summarizes our conversations throughout Stage 2 Engagement is now available.


Vision, Goals, and Principles

We’re pleased to share the finalized Vision, Goals, and Principles for the plan. The version you see here has been updated to include feedback from our working groups and the public survey.

While respondents overwhelmingly believed that the Vision (82%), Goals (86%), and Principles (86%) reflected the people that live and work in the study area, we heard requests for a greater focus on people, more emphasis on climate and environment, addressing car dependence, and inclusion of specific targets.

We’ve made changes to reflect these requests and will include specific targets later in plan development. These are more than guidance as we prepare the plan. The JRTA is using the goals to measure the effectiveness of different projects and policies during plan development.

You can find the final Vision, Goals, and Principles on our website.


What's being considered in the Regional Transportation Plan?

The plan will review all modes of transportation that move people (walking/rolling, cycling, buses, ferries, trains, vehicles) and goods (trucks, trains, ships, planes) as well as the infrastructure (streets, active transportation facilities, highways, bridges, rail corridors, ports) to make that movement possible.

Halifax and surrounding communities

The area being considered for the Regional Transportation Plan includes most of Nova Scotia’s population and one of the most important economic hubs in Atlantic Canada. This will play a critical role in advancing broader Provincial Government initiatives to tackle climate change, support growth and economic development, and improve Nova Scotia’s health, well-being, and quality of life.

A map shows the study area for the regional transportation plan. It includes most of HRM, all of East Hants, all of West Hants, Chester, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Bridgewater, Wolfville, Kentville, Truro, Stewiacke, Millbrook First Nation, Sipekne'katik First Nation, Glooscap First nation, Windsor, Acadia First Nation, and Annapolis Valley First Nation

The above map shows the areas included in the Regional Transportation Plan. The focus is on Halifax Regional Municipality, but the plan will also include communities that are around a one-hour travel time to Halifax as they have also experienced growth.

This area includes 14 municipalities in addition to Halifax Regional Municipality:

  • Municipality of the County of Colchester
  • Municipality of the County of Kings
  • Municipality of the District of Chester
  • Municipality of the District of Lunenburg
  • Municipality of the District of West Hants
  • Municipality of East Hants
  • Town of Berwick
  • Town of Bridgewater
  • Town of Kentville
  • Town of Lunenburg
  • Town of Mahone Bay
  • Town of Stewiacke
  • Town of Truro
  • Town of Wolfville
And five First Nations:
  • Acadia First Nation
  • Annapolis Valley First Nation
  • Glooscap First Nation
  • Millbrook First Nation
  • Sipekne’katik First Nation
    as well as urban Indigenous populations


Link Nova Scotia (formerly the Joint Regional Transportation Agency) addressing transportation issues associated with the rapid growth taking place in Halifax and surrounding communities. To achieve this, we're developing a Regional Transportation Plan.

The Regional Transportation Plan will create a long-term, coordinated vision for our regional transportation system. The plan will guide integrated transportation and land use decision-making and infrastructure investments for all modes of transportation. Improving the flow of people and goods in and out of Halifax and surrounding communities is vital to all Nova Scotians.

To achieve this, we need to work together, cultivating new and existing partnerships and building solid long-lasting relationships locally, regionally, and nationally. Collaboration is one of the key values of the JRTA, and collaborative decision-making will be critical to the success of the JRTA and the development and execution of the Regional Transportation Plan.

Past Engagement

What We Heard

Thank you to those that visited our drop-in sessions on the Regional Transportation Plan. Our What We Heard report that summarizes our conversations throughout Stage 2 Engagement is now available.


Vision, Goals, and Principles

We’re pleased to share the finalized Vision, Goals, and Principles for the plan. The version you see here has been updated to include feedback from our working groups and the public survey.

While respondents overwhelmingly believed that the Vision (82%), Goals (86%), and Principles (86%) reflected the people that live and work in the study area, we heard requests for a greater focus on people, more emphasis on climate and environment, addressing car dependence, and inclusion of specific targets.

We’ve made changes to reflect these requests and will include specific targets later in plan development. These are more than guidance as we prepare the plan. The JRTA is using the goals to measure the effectiveness of different projects and policies during plan development.

You can find the final Vision, Goals, and Principles on our website.


What's being considered in the Regional Transportation Plan?

The plan will review all modes of transportation that move people (walking/rolling, cycling, buses, ferries, trains, vehicles) and goods (trucks, trains, ships, planes) as well as the infrastructure (streets, active transportation facilities, highways, bridges, rail corridors, ports) to make that movement possible.

Halifax and surrounding communities

The area being considered for the Regional Transportation Plan includes most of Nova Scotia’s population and one of the most important economic hubs in Atlantic Canada. This will play a critical role in advancing broader Provincial Government initiatives to tackle climate change, support growth and economic development, and improve Nova Scotia’s health, well-being, and quality of life.

A map shows the study area for the regional transportation plan. It includes most of HRM, all of East Hants, all of West Hants, Chester, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Bridgewater, Wolfville, Kentville, Truro, Stewiacke, Millbrook First Nation, Sipekne'katik First Nation, Glooscap First nation, Windsor, Acadia First Nation, and Annapolis Valley First Nation

The above map shows the areas included in the Regional Transportation Plan. The focus is on Halifax Regional Municipality, but the plan will also include communities that are around a one-hour travel time to Halifax as they have also experienced growth.

This area includes 14 municipalities in addition to Halifax Regional Municipality:

  • Municipality of the County of Colchester
  • Municipality of the County of Kings
  • Municipality of the District of Chester
  • Municipality of the District of Lunenburg
  • Municipality of the District of West Hants
  • Municipality of East Hants
  • Town of Berwick
  • Town of Bridgewater
  • Town of Kentville
  • Town of Lunenburg
  • Town of Mahone Bay
  • Town of Stewiacke
  • Town of Truro
  • Town of Wolfville
And five First Nations:
  • Acadia First Nation
  • Annapolis Valley First Nation
  • Glooscap First Nation
  • Millbrook First Nation
  • Sipekne’katik First Nation
    as well as urban Indigenous populations


  • CLOSED: This survey has closed. Thank you for your participation!

    Our Vision, Goals, and Principles

    The Joint Regional Transportation Agency (JRTA) was created to provide collaborative long-range transportation planning for Halifax and surrounding communities. Our main focus is the delivery of a Regional Transportation Plan, which will establish a coordinated and strategic vision for a regional transportation system. The plan will focus on safe, efficient and coordinated movement of people and goods, and any infrastructure needed to make this possible.


    The first stage of engagement for the plan is complete and a What We Heard Report summarizes the feedback we received. That feedback was used to develop a draft vision, goals and principles that will shape priorities and how decisions will be made as the plan is further developed.   

    We want to know what you think and see if anything is missing from the draft vision, goals, and principles. 

    This survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

  • CLOSED: Thank you so much for your submissions to our Stage 1 engagement. We have closed for submissions - these are now being reviewed and will form the vision and goals for the document. Look for a What we Heard document that summarizes the information provided later in the summer.

    Your Ideas

    As our region grows and changes, our regional transportation system will need to grow and change, too. Nova Scotia achieved a major milestone in 2021 – the province surpassed a population of one million people, following a period of record growth. Over 63% of the population of Nova Scotia live within Regional Transportation Plan area:

    We're looking for your ideas as we develop the plan. Help us understand what's important to you when travelling and what you'd like to see included in a future transportation system.

    Your idea submissions are confidential and will only be used to help develop the Regional Transportation Plan. Please do not include any identifying information when answering the questions.