Money for plan

Inverness awarded active transportation grant

The province will provide $25,000 towards an active transportation plan for Inverness County to identify routes to better connect residents to schools, shopping districts and other key hubs.

The plan will also address infrastructure improvements necessary to enable walking or cycling.

“As a vast municipality, we see an active transportation plan as both beneficial and necessary to playing a role in sustainability, and in enabling healthy lives for our residents,” said Inverness Warden Betty Ann MacQuarrie, in a news release. “We look forward to seeing its impact in our rural communities.”

Municipal Affairs Minister Derek Mombourquette, on behalf of Energy Minister Geoff MacLellan, announced the money on Monday from the province’s sustainable transportation grant program known as Connect2.

“Encouraging active living is important for so many reasons. But the reality is, people are more likely to walk or cycle from place to place when there are accessible and safe options available to them,” said Mombourquette, in a news release.

“(The) announcement is about improving our communities and continuing to reduce transportation emissions.”

The Connect2 program aims to create and promote active transportation options for trips of two kilometres or less between community hubs in rural and urban parts of the province.

This year, it will support about 22 projects across the province. All will be completed by March.