African Nova Scotian Community Action Program

How we work

The municipality’s ANSCAP team works together with the African Nova Scotian Road to Economic Prosperity (REPP) team to build capacity in ANS communities and prioritize strategic actions for each community. African Nova Scotian communities determine what their municipal concerns and priorities are. A community action plan is developed to address those priorities through municipal services, such as:

• municipal land-use planning: review current municipal land use by-laws and propose changes to best reflect community’s current priorities;

• enhance transportation services: collaborate with municipal business units to advocate for community’s priorities, such as enhancing transit services;

• transfer land: identify and transfer municipal land to ANS community organizations;

• review community boundaries: work with community to undertake historical research and review current community boundaries;

• heritage programming: partner with community to celebrate institutions and protect buildings with historical significance;

• infrastructure development: collaborate with community to identify specific infrastructure improvements that enhance local quality of life; and

• parks and recreation: improve the quality of parkland, natural habitats and waterbodies within African Nova Scotian communities.

Diverse voices are crucial to ensuring community action plans work for everyone within ANS communities. ANSCAP will pursue meaningful engagement with different organizations, leaders and community members in establishing plans. These plans will be developed in partnership with organizations such as:

• the African Nova Scotian Road to Economic Prosperity (REPP);

• the Halifax Partnership;

• the municipality’s African Nova Scotian Affairs Integration Office (ANSAIO); and

• local ANS community organizations  

ANSCAP process