The link between an active lifestyle and good health is indisputable. One of my government’s five key priorities is to build safer, healthy communities. A key part of that plan means providing children, families and seniors with updated sport and recreation facilities.

My government is now in the process of making investments in communities across Nova Scotia from the $3 million Recreation Facility Development program. This program helps municipalities and community groups plan, construct, renovate, conserve or acquire facilities for public recreation.

A Recreation Facility Develop grant provides up to one-third of the cost of a project. It helps develop trail systems, build playgrounds, construct skate boarding parks and upgrade existing facilities.

Through the Recreation Facility Development program, government has contributed $774,000 for 22 projects in Halifax Regional Municipality, $327,000 for 10 projects in Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough counties, $482,000 for 13 projects in the Annapolis Valley, 402,200 for 11 projects in the Fundy Region, $476,820 for 10 projects on the South Shore and $514,825 for 16 project in Cape Breton.

This year the program will help create about $14.5 million through 84 organizations and 82 projects.

For me, the involvement of communities in the Recreation Facility Development program is a critical part of encouraging more people to get active and stay healthy. Communities develop the projects they think would best benefit local people. They then work with staff in the Department of Health Promotion and Protection to plan projects and apply for funding. In this way, Nova Scotians are real partners in helping us reach the goal of making Nova Scotia the healthiest province in the country.

Recreation Facility Development is only one part of my government’s commitment to active healthy living. We committed to doubling the budget of the Department of Health Promotion and Protection over four years, and this year we increased the department’s budget by $16.7 million.

Last year, we announced a 10-year, $50-million program to finance the construction of significant sport and recreation facilities called Building Facilities and Infrastructure Together, or B-FIT. This year we added $2 million annually to the program, bringing the total investment to $68 million over ten years.

A $10-million investment from B-FIT will help build the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in Bridgewater. Five million dollars from the program has been committed to a new recreation facility in Queens and most recently, $350,000 from B-FIT will help make improvements to the Church Memorial Arena and Park in Chester.

In addition, through our Rink Revitalization Program, every arena in Nova Scotia will receive $27,000 to make improvements and upgrades.

I am proud to have been Nova Scotia’s first Minister of Health Promotion and Protection. It’s a department, now under the leadership of Minister Barry Barnet, that is leading the effort to make communities from one end of this province to the other healthier and more active.

We’re implementing new programs, expanding existing programs and providing funding to make Nova Scotia families healthier. For more information about the Recreation Facility Development program and other programs offered by the Department of Health Promotion and Protection, visit www.gov.ns.ca/hpp.