Strategic Initiatives

In August, 2021 the Town of Truro launched the Truro, Let’s Connect survey and public engagement campaign to kick off the process of updating the Town’s Community Plan. The survey ran into the Fall and was followed by two public sessions at the Truro Fire Hall and multiple focused sessions with stakeholder groups. The survey and sessions focused on 10 themes and 22 questions related to Truro’s key issues, challenges, strategies, and opportunities for growth. The public and focused sessions dove further into key issues and gained additional public input and feedback.

All responses and feedback were then compiled into the Truro Let’s Connect, Findings Report. This report presents the aggregate data from all of the public engagement efforts. The report also describes other promotional strategies that were used and additional ways the community was engaged.

Highlights from the report include:
• 1,784 surveys were completed by Truro residents and stakeholders in the community!

Of those,
• 82% of people feel at home in Truro,
• 73% see improvement in the Town’s appearance over the last 10 years,
• Increase Public Transportation, Encourage More Housing Downtown, and Encourage Energy Efficient Buildings were the top 3 priorities for local environmental action,
• 92% think creating new housing in Truro is important,
• Affordable Rents, Supply of Parking Spaces, and Energy Efficiency were the top 3 priorities that the Town of Truro should consider when looking at new apartment building proposals,
• People’s favourite things to do in Truro are using Parks and Trails and going to Restaurants and Bars.

 The full Truro Let’s Connect, Findings Report can be found by clicking this link, Truro Let’s Connect Community Plan.

This report helped guide and provide input to create an updated draft Community Plan for Truro.

Truro’s Community Plan is an integrated plan which includes the Community Sustainability Plan, the Municipal Planning Strategy, and the Land Use Bylaw. Truro’s Community Sustainability Plan deals with community values and priorities. It will present action opportunities on issues informed by the Truro, Let’s Connect findings. Truro’s Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law will have more specific content, primarily relating to property development, and is governed in scope by the Nova Scotia Municipal Government Act.

The Town of Truro aspires to be a just and vibrant community with a thriving economy and sustainable environment. Sixteen Community Goals have been developed from the Truro, Let’s Connect engagement project to reflect how residents want Truro to realize this vision. The Community Goals form the framework for policies and strategic priorities of the 2023 Town of Truro Community Plan.

The following sixteen Community Goals are the foundation of Truro’s Community Plan.

• Inclusive Community
• Attractive Community
• Vibrant Community
• Active & Healthy Community
• Steward of the Environment
• Growing Sustainably
• Fiscally Responsible
• Engaged Community
• Housing for All
• Resilient Community
• Strong Regional Centre
• Collaborative Community
• Prosperous Community
• Good Governance
• Safe & Secure Community
• Quality Infrastructure & Services

The Truro Deer Management Working Group completed the second Controlled Managed Hunt in December 2022, as work continued on the implementation of the Town's Deer Management Strategy, which Truro Town Council approved in 2021.

The first Controlled Managed Hunt took place in January/February 2022, where a total of 14 deer were harvested.

The second hunt was built on the best practices developed throughout the first year of the program. The first year was considered a pilot year to ensure the hunt could be carried out successfully, with strict control measures and with public safety the paramount consideration. With the first hunt a success, the Town expanded the second hunt program to include additional sites and hunters.

The second hunt also saw strengthened partnerships with the Province, Millbrook First Nation, Feed Nova Scotia, and Dalhousie University.

The Town's Deer Management Working Group operates the program on as little waste as possible. Similar to the first hunt, the Working Group partnered with Feed Nova Scotia to have all meat harvested through the program donated to food banks throughout Nova Scotia. All hides were also donated to Millbrook First Nation as part of the program, and other parts of the animal are used for Provincial and National research purposes.

For the second hunt, the Town expanded its partnership with Millbrook First Nation. Millbrook managed one of the hunt sites and conducted a land-based learning program at this site for community youth and other members to help preserve knowledge related to ethical harvesting and the processing of deer. The program focused on demonstrating proper field dressing, removing a deer from the forest, and tanning of deer hides.

The second hunt ran from mid-November until the end of December. In the end, 39 deer were harvested, providing over 5,000 servings of meat to families in need across Nova Scotia.

The purpose of the Town's Deer Management Strategy is to reduce the deer population numbers within the Town of Truro for the benefit of natural ecosystems, and citizen landscapes, reducing Deer Vehicle Collisions (DVC's), public health concerns, the possible presence of deer predators, and an overall reduction of deer human conflict. While residents will need to learn to live with deer long-term, there are several measures that people can take to assist with deer management efforts in Truro and help to bring the urban deer population within a manageable number. The most important management tool for residents is to stop the feeding of deer within and around the Town. 

The approved Deer Management Strategy sets overall goals for mitigating deer-human conflicts and highlights all elements of deer management throughout the Town. This includes management options at the individual level, public education options, as well as population reduction options. Individuals are encouraged to focus on measures on their own individual properties, and the Town will focus on public education and population reduction measures (with oversight and guidance from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables).

Residents are encouraged to visit Urban Deer Management and learn about the efforts of the Working Group.

In August 2022, Kody Blois, Member of Parliament for Kings—Hants, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities; Dave Ritcey, Member of Legislative Assembly for Truro—Bible Hill—Millbrook—Salmon River, and Town of Truro, Mayor Bill Mills, announced funding for the revitalization of the Truro Amateur Athletic Club (TAAC), the Multi-Use sport facility and senior baseball facility.

Funding will be used to upgrade and split the current TAAC grounds into two different locations. The existing TAAC location will be revitalized to include a multi-sport, all-weather field and a synthetic, eight-lane running track with regulation throwing areas, which will provide athletes and casual players with a high-quality training facility.

The current seniors’ baseball diamond will be relocated to Argus Drive to improve accessibility, and it will be upgraded to reflect championship-quality baseball field standards.

Total project costs are estimated at $8.6 million. The Government of Canada is investing $3.2 million towards the project, while the Government of Nova Scotia is providing more than $2.6 million. The Town of Truro is contributing $500,000, and the Municipality of the County of Colchester is providing $350,000. Community donations and commitments are ongoing and will exceed $2 million when complete. Anyone wishing to donate towards this project can stop into Town Hall, 695 Prince Street. All donations to this project are tax-deductible. 

Construction is expected to begin in the Spring of 2023. The project would not have been possible without the generous support of the community, both through sponsorships and donations.

For more information on this project visit TAAC Revitalization Project.

In July 2022, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), announced $435,000 in funding through the Innovative Communities Fund to support the implementation of Phases 1 and 2 of the Railyard Mountain Bike Park Master Plan. The total project costs are approximately $870,000.

The Railyard Mountain Bike Park, located in the southwestern section of Victoria Park, has grown into an extensive mountain biking network. It offers terrain for riders of all ages and abilities with various trails and skills parks. It appeals to both local riders and tourists.

The Railyard Master Plan, which was completed in 2019, has the overall objective of creating a sustainable and balanced approach to tourism, local development, and community wellness. The Plan balances making the most out of the opportunities for tourism and maximizing the economic impact for the community while preserving the benefits of Victoria Park as an urban green space for all.

Phases 1 and 2 of the project are currently underway and will take place over the next three years. While the project has a large scope it focuses on staff training, trail maintenance, enhancing signage and services, marketing and promotion, and the construction of new trails, washroom facilities, expanding parking and upgrading entrances.

During the winter of 2021, the Town of Truro conducted an economic impact assessment on visitors to the Railyard through the winter months. The survey found that 41% of people using the Railyard during the winter were from outside of Truro, primarily from the Halifax Regional Municipality. The assessment also found that the average visitor to the Railyard was spending approximately $80/day while they were in Truro.

View the pdf Railyard Master Plan (5.62 MB) .

Beginning in 2019, the Town of Truro engaged Honeywell to provide a review of Town-owned buildings and the Town of Truro Energy and Facility Renewal project was developed and approved. Completed in 2022, this project has seen several upgrades to Town-owned facilities, which help to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and helps to address issues of deferred maintenance. This project also included improvements to the Rath Eastlink Community Centre, a cost-shared project with the Municipality of the County of Colchester.

Truro Town Council supports reducing the Town’s impact on climate change and is committed to reducing the Town’s carbon footprint. In 2021, the Town became a member of the Partners for Climate Protection Program through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. This program has over 500 members nationally.

The upgrades completed at Town-owned facilities will positively impact the environment and reduce CO2 emissions by 452 tonnes per year, the equivalent of removing 153 vehicles from the road.

While the total project cost to the Town of Truro was approximately $2 million, the projects are turn-key with verified savings that are guaranteed to cover the cost of the improvements over the life of the upgrades. A portion of the project was funded through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund – Community Building Retro Fit Initiative.

The Town of Truro is home to a powerful cultural heritage and landscape and a very active community of outdoor enthusiasts.

Founded in a rich industrial and rail heritage that heavily influences the cultural footprint of the town, Truro is exploring alternative and active approaches to moving around the town for recreation, outdoor adventure, shopping, work, social gathering and any other reason residents have to commute.

Expanding street or trail networks to support multi-modal and multi-generational connectivity will have significant impacts on resident health through the creation of town-wide lifestyle infrastructure.

The pdf Town of Truro Active Transportation Master Plan (20.71 MB) explores the benefits of a network and the network required to achieve these benefits.