Non-profit advocating for light rail connecting Nova Scotia

Frank Palermo says it’s past time for light rail across Nova Scotia.

The former Dalhousie University professor is now the president of Rail Connects Nova Scotia, a not-for-profit organization looking to raise awareness on the idea of connecting the province by rail.

“We really want to change how people get around in Nova Scotia and make light rail public transit the first and best choice,” Palermo told CityNews Halifax in an interview.

On Monday, Rail Connects released a promotional video highlighting its vision for light rail, featuring images of trains connecting Halifax to Truro and Lunenburg, and tracks following Nova Scotia’s scenic coastline.

Palermo says the goal of the video is to let people know what’s possible in this province.

“In terms of improving the quality of life that exists in Nova Scotia, connecting different parts of the province together through HRM as well as doing something about climate change which is kind of an existential thing,” Palermo said.

The idea of commuter rail has been talked about in the Halifax area in years past, but never got off the ground.

Palermo says problems like traffic jams and environmental damage will only get worse if the province doesn’t move away from the current “car culture.”

“We haven’t had a kind of inspiring image or vision of what this province can be and we think public transit has to be central to that vision because it brings together so many parts of the potential we have to really lead the country in terms of the quality of environment we have here, the quality of life we have here and the possibility for people to live in different parts of the province,” Palermo explained.

He pointed to places like the United Kingdom, Europe and elsewhere where trains are far more common, pointing out the benefit to communities and tourism, a large part of Nova Scotia’s economy.

“We just want to find ways of reaching more people, we’d like to be much more effective in letting people know the advantages of doing this and to really value the benefits so that politically it starts to make much more sense.”