News Release Archive
DISABLED PERSONS COMMISSION--REPORT ON TRANSPORTATION
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The Nova Scotia Disabled Persons Commission today released a
study entitled "Report and Recommendations for the
Establishment and Support of Inclusive Transportation
Services in Nova Scotia".
The report, which has been presented to Community Services
Minister Jim Smith, minister responsible for the commission;
Economic Renewal Minister Robbie Harrison and Housing and
Consumer Affairs Minister Eleanor Norrie, contains
recommendations for a provincial policy on inclusive
transportation services and recommendations that are
intended to ensure that the policy is economically
sustainable.
Reid Nicholson, commission chair, said "We believe that the
recommendations in this report, if implemented, will lead to
the development and economic sustainability of inclusive
community transportation services in Nova Scotia."
The report is the result of discussions that were held with
Dr. Smith, Mr. Harrison and the Disabled Persons Commission.
At these discussions, the commission expressed concern that
the successful implementation of several government reform
initiatives (such as health reform and
de-institutionalization), will depend upon the availability
of accessible community transportation services for citizens
with disabilities.
"We are very pleased with the work done by the commission on
this issue and we have directed the establishment of a high
level committee of senior government officials to respond to
the directions recommended," Dr. Smith said today. He said
that this committee will respond to the recommendations by
Feb. 28, 1996.
The report recommends that the province adopt a policy that
would support the establishment of community-based
accessible transportation services. Specifically, the policy
proposes that the province shall:
- promote and encourage accessible community transportation
services;
- provide support for community initiatives and development
leading to the establishment of accessible community
transportation;
- provide advice and assistance to municipal authorities and
to operators of accessible services on how they can address
the transportation needs of all citizens;
- establish and monitor provincial standards of
accessibility and provide expertise on emerging technologies
that would facilitate accessibility;
- encourage and foster the coordination of public
transportation services; and
- ensure that all government initiatives and programs
address the need for transportation services for senior
citizens, persons with disabilities and others who may
require specialized transportation services.
Key among the recommendations for implementation and
economic sustainability, is the cooperative establishment of
an accessible transportation office, supported by the
Departments of Health, Community Services, Education and
Culture, the Economic Renewal Agency, Transportation and
Communications, and Municipal Affairs. The office would be
funded for a two year period to establish community based
demonstration projects that would include the following
elements:
- coordination initiatives that would maximize the
utilization of community resources;
- cooperative planning approaches to identify community
resources and community need, involving key departments,
municipalities, the private sector and the community;
- identification and adoption of unique transportation
solutions to the transportation needs of a community;
- identify cost efficiencies that utilize existing community
resources: volunteer, private and public;
- develop a model for the economic sustainability of a
transportation solution;
- the identification of economic and employment
opportunities through partnerships, joint ventures, and
innovative approaches to providing accessible
transportation.
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Contact: Charles Macdonald 902-424-8280
(1-800-565-8280 toll free within Nova Scotia)
trp Jan. 17, 1996 - 10:00 a.m.
