Main Streets
Next Steps and Policy Considerations
The considerations below are potential next steps for collaborative work to improve Nova Scotia’s Main Streets,
recognizing roles for government bodies, organizations, and community members.
1. Differentiate Main Streets in the context of the road network, defining and designating “Community Main Street Districts.”
Main Streets should be considered differently from the rest of the roadway system maintained by NSTIR. While each community is unique, the portions of the province’s roadway system (highways, trunks, and routes) that become recognizable as Community Main Streets may be quite short (i.e. about 1 kilometre), a distance that reflects a concentrated and walkable commercial area.
When identifying the location of Community Main Street Districts, consider walkability, destinations, local land-use planning goals, public input, and nearby population density. Identifying and designating Community Main Street Districts can be a tool for prioritizing investment and focused consideration of pedestrian accessibility, safety, and comfort, as well as cycling, placemaking, the vitality of the local economy, access to amenities, potential for community transit, and land-use planning.
Design should recognize that, at the centre of communities, fast-moving traffic can work in opposition to Main Street vitality, prove unsafe for pedestrians, and counter accessibility objectives. Efforts should be focused in Community Main Street Districts to reduce vehicle speeds. Emerging research and practices in other areas of North America sets a goal for slowing vehicles down to 30 km/hr and this speed should be a goal for Community Main Street District in Nova Scotia where appropriate.
A stronger system of communication between local communities and NSTIR regarding roadway design, speed and access within communities could be achieved through a community liaison role or office within NSTIR that could be formed to engage on Community Main Streets. Continued discussions are recommended to establish the best mechanisms for this process.
2. Support audits for community accessibility, and provide grants for accessibility enhancements.
Walkability and accessibility audits take a whole-picture look at the experience of Main Street for those with and without disabilities seeking to undertake their day-to-day needs. Grant programs can make key investments in accessible parking, crosswalks, sidewalks, accessible storefronts, and potentially transit.
3. Support pilot projects to calm traffic and support walkability on Main Streets.
Pilot projects involve testing temporary physical changes relatively quickly and at a low cost, then evaluating the results before investing in a more permanent change. Pilot projects can calm traffic on Main Street, while making them more walkable and attractive. Traffic-calming pilot projects would need to be carefully assessed through a decision-making procedure. With community involvement, pilot projects can be unique, fun, and form a deeper connection between community members and their physical space. Concepts found to be successful during pilot projects can be incorporated on a permanent basis when Main Streets are maintained or rebuilt in the future.
4. Take a collaborative approach to working with residents and stakeholders on Main Street visioning, placemaking, pilot projects, and implementation.
Community visioning processes can inform the goals of a Main Street and identify ways to make them compelling destinations. Local community members are best suited to help tell the story of their community in a way that is unique and authentic. Providing opportunities for meaningful community participation in generating ideas and implementing them builds social ties which are the glue that keeps communities strong and resilient. The “Power of 10+” exercise is a possible starting point for discussion on Main Street spaces, experiences and opportunities. Pilot projects are a way to test out ideas, to help demonstrate success and gain support for longer-term projects. Develop Nova Scotia is the crown corporation leading a place-based economic development strategy for Nova Scotia. They are committed to placemaking as a primary approach in their work and are working on placemaking tools and processes to be used with and by communities.
5. Support goals for human-scale development and vibrant Main Streets through updates to Municipal Planning Strategies and local Land-use By-laws.
Local planning can support Main Street goals through the following:
Concentrating new commercial destinations in walkable areas rather than dispersed along the vehicle-oriented corridors.
Enabling new residential development on or near Main Street, including affordable and accessible housing, in forms such as townhouse and apartments.
Enabling pedestrian-oriented building design, for example through reducing front yard setbacks on Main Street, so that buildings front the sidewalk.
Enabling design that appeals to pedestrians rather than motorists through smaller storefronts, building articulation requirements, and pedestrian-scale signage.
Reducing or eliminating the need for development to provide parking on-site, especially in walkable areas where parking may already be ample a few steps away.
Where parking is provided, locating parking to the back of buildings, rather than between the sidewalk and the building entrance.
Reducing driveways and curb cuts across the sidewalk.
6. Recognize key “opportunity sites” that can stimulate new energy on Main Street.
Communities often have identifiable “opportunity sites” on or near Main Street that have the potential to redevelop in the near future. They can provide new commercial, employment and residential spaces, and potentially civic amenities and public open space. Opportunity sites should be carefully considered for their ability to stimulate new energy throughout a district and reflect community aspirations for social hubs or gathering spaces in walkable locations (e.g. farmers markets or event spaces).
7. Continue to support Main Streets through beautification and facade grant programs.
The province’s current Beautification and Streetscaping Program contributes to project costs relating to signage, banners, benches, bike racks, waste receptacles, planters, trees, lighting, building facades, and tourist kiosks. These grants result in a unified and celebrated sense of character and heritage in communities.
Beautification can also be used to improve vacant properties and the attractiveness for the whole of Main Street.
8. Develop district parking and wayfinding strategies.
When Main Streets allow for people to get out of their cars at a central location and walk between multiple destinations (rather than taking multiple vehicle trips) there is more walking, more local spending, and less vehicle congestion. The success of this kind of strategy necessitates integrated consideration of land use, walkability, business mix, and placemaking. Where it is possible to provide parking on-street, accessible and short-term parking should be prioritized. Simple and effective wayfinding is often missing in Nova Scotia communities and should be coordinated with walkability, parking, placemaking, and beautification.
9. Investigate introducing community shuttles.
Some areas of the province would benefit from introducing local transit on a fixed schedule connecting destinations, including between adjacent communities. This is especially beneficial for seniors, those with disabilities, youth, and commuters.
10. Support business organizing and innovation in smaller Nova Scotia communities.
Potential ways to support businesses and bring new entrepreneurs to a community include networking, business training, and business succession planning. Landlords should be supported in efforts to provide new types of spaces and lease terms that appeal to non-traditional business types and reduce vacancy on Main Street.
11. Create a network for Main Streets.
A provincial Main Streets support program can be developed, potentially working with RENs and which may be based on or affiliated with the National Main Streets Center in the US. A Main Streets network or summit could be one idea to share ideas among peers for strong Main Streets throughout Nova Scotia or Atlantic Canada. This network can also assist communities coping and responding to the impacts of the COVID pandemic.
12. Develop a Provincial Statement of Interest relating to Main Streets.
A Statement of Interest regarding goals and the importance of Main Streets may focus efforts for Nova Scotia to have a unified approach.