Nova ScotiaThe Municipality of East Hants wants residents to weigh in on a proposed bus service, but some rural councillors say it will be hard to convince people to accept higher taxes for a service they may never use.1-hour electric bus route would run between Halifax airport and East Hants SportsplexHaley Ryan · CBC News · Posted: Sep 23, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoAn electric bus is seen in Ottawa in this June 2023 photo. The Municipality of East Hants is considering a fixed-route electric bus service that would run from the sportsplex in Lantz to the Halifax airport. (Jean Delisle/CBC)The Municipality of East Hants wants residents to weigh in on a proposed bus service, but some rural councillors say it will be hard to convince people to accept higher taxes for a service they may never use.East Hants is a rapidly growing part of Nova Scotia, with more than 5,000 new housing units expected by 2043 within the municipality’s corridor region alone.The municipality is exploring the idea of a fixed-route electric bus serving that corridor, with stops including Lantz, Elmsdale, Enfield, and the Halifax airport. “I see the definite benefits in transit, even though it doesn’t touch my community at this point,” Coun. Michael Perry of Mount Uniacke-South Rawdon said at an executive committee meeting Sept. 18.The proposed East Hants bus route through the corridor region, depicted in a transit study by consultants WSP, would serve Lantz, Elmsdale, Enfield, and the Halifax airport. (WSP)But Perry and other councillors said they are not sure there is enough density in the area yet to justify the move.Municipal staff said during the meeting that even the cheapest financial model — which assumes federal funding covers 80 per cent of the capital costs and East Hants carries the operating costs — would increase the general property tax rate paid by all homeowners.That could mean an extra $38 a year for someone with a $400,000 property, paying only the general residential or resource rate, and an extra cent on the rate for a similar home in the urban service area, adding up to about $78.Coun. Keith Rhyno of Maitland-Noel Shore said that extra $38 is likely too much to ask of “a lot of people in my area” for a bus they won’t use, as they deal with high food prices and extra water costs during the provincial drought.Warden Eleanor Roulston shared those concerns.”I’m not entirely sure how hard I want to work at selling it ’cause I’m not sure if I’m convinced it’s the right time,” said Roulston. “It’s not going to be popular. And that may be putting it mildly.”Chief administrative officer Kim Ramsay said there is a long-term vision to expand the transit service and add more routes, such as connecting the Mount Uniacke area into existing Halifax Transit stops like the Sackville Terminal.Ramsay said transit is a public service like any other, including fire, police or schools.”You have to go into this realizing that, and realizing that not everyone is going to use the service,” Ramsay said.An East Hants transit study released last year by consulting firm WSP noted the province is planning a new inter-municipal bus service featuring a route between Halifax and Truro. That could include stops within the municipal bus corridor and might mean the municipal service doesn’t have to stretch to the airport, which would save money.”We don’t know. We don’t know what their mplementation timeline is on that, they don’t seem to know yet when that service will be offered,” said Graham Scott, manager of economic and business development.The WSP study suggested contracting the service out to the East Hants Community Rider — a community-based affordable transport service — with funding coming from the municipality.Consultation will include meetings, surveyIt estimated about $2.2 million in capital costs for the buses and charging infrastructure, and $425,900 in yearly operating costs.Staff said they will come back to the committee at a later date with a public consultation plan, which will include in-person meetings and an online survey.ABOUT THE AUTHORHaley Ryan is the municipal affairs reporter for CBC covering mainland Nova Scotia. Got a story idea? Send an email to haley.ryan@cbc.ca, or reach out on Twitter @hkryan17.
Councillors say residents may not get on board as East Hants explores new bus service
