Accessibility: Education, Training, Tools and Resources

Providing education and training on topics of accessibility to municipalities and villages is an important part of the work of the Municipal Accessibility Support Program.

One of the most reported barriers people with disabilities experience are attitudinal.

Opportunities for municipal administrators to build their knowledge of disability, barriers, accessibility, and the impacts of ableism, the better equipped municipalities will be to meet the requirements of the Nova Scotia Accessibility Act, meet commitments in accessibility plans, and make communities accessible for people with disabilities.

The Nova Scotia Accessibility Directorate provides information, tools and resource to support your Accessibility Plans and implementation strategies: Accessible Nova Scotia has a resource hub with webinars, awareness campaigns, and statistics, and

The education and training offerings are designed to support Municipal Equity Leads and municipal staff be successful in implementing policies, projects and strategies that reflect the goals of the Accessibility Act and the Standards developed for the Built Environment, Employment, Information and Communications, Transportation and Goods and Services.

If there are accessibility topics your municipality or village would like to see in our education and training session offerings, please let us know by contacting us, or adding to the Ideas tool below.

In the sidebar, you will find opportunities for training and education in the Key Dates folder, in Documents & Recordings you will find Municipalities' Accessibility Plans, and Toolkits and Resources for Updating the Plans for April 1st, 2025, as well as resources from the community to support persons with disabilities in your region.

The top folder in Documents & Recordings houses the 2025 Accessibility Plan Updates for Municipalities and Villages. Use this folder to learn, celebrate, and advocate for accessibility improvements in your communities!

Municipal Equity, Anti-Racism, and Accessibility Grant Program:

Funded by the Province of Nova Scotia's Office of Equity and Anti-Racism, this grant provides up to $1,500 per Municipality or Village to support projects directly aligned with action items in your approved Equity, Anti-Racism and Accessibility Plans. Municipalities and Villages may apply as individuals or collaborate on initiatives, which could result in more impactful, regional projects. Collaborations may apply for more funding (# of Municipalities/Villages x $1500). Examples of eligible activities include community engagement, training, community events, equity-focused initiatives. Staff salaries and operational costs are not covered. In the application, you may simply refer to the action item in your plan and copy the wording for reference.

All approved projects must be completed by the end of the fiscal year 2025-2026, with a total of $70,000 available for distribution. Applications are now open and will be assessed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are allocated within this fiscal.

Municipalities can request up to 100% of their project costs, with a maximum of $1,500 per Municipality or Village. You can access the application here - Please reach out to Julie or Roxanne with any need for support in filling out the application, or if you would like to discuss your proposal before submitting.