Gold star for the Town of Truro in workplace wellness

e town of Truro was one of three northern Nova Scotia municipalities that won a gold award for building a healthy workplace.

Truro, New Glasgow and the Municipality of the County of Antigonish were the three gold winners of the 2018 Workplace Wellness Awards, presented at the Association of Municipal Administrators Nova Scotia’s annual conference in Baddeck on Oct. 17.

“I think it’s fantastic,” said Shannon Jarvis, Truro’s active community co-ordinator. “Happier employees tend to have more fulfilling days. We got silver over the last two years, so it’s nice to make that jump.”

Truro won gold this year due in large part to its aggressive promotion of healthy lifestyles among town employees.

Jarvis said owing to some employees having cardiac issues, the town worked with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, fundraising for events such as local rides on their Big Bike.

Employees are also encouraged to take part in sports tournaments such as softball and hockey, de- pending on the season and are o ered breakfasts to boost both workplace morale and healthy nourishment.

Jarvis credited the town’s CAO Michael Dolter and other members of senior leadership in promoting a healthy workplace with healthy lifestyles.

“Comprehensive workplace wellness programming should include awareness raising, skill-building, providing a supportive environment, and developing supportive policies,” said Rebecca Kolstee, municipal wellness co-ordinator for AMANS, in a release last week.

Silver award winners were the Municipality of the County of Cumberland, Municipality of the District of West Hants, Municipality of Victoria County, Municipality of the District of Lunenburg and the Town of Westville.

Bronze awards were picked up by the Municipality of the District of Barrington, the Town of Stellarton and the Town of Kentville.