Trans Canada Trail progress slowest in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is lagging behind the rest of Canada in building its portion of the Trans Canada Trail system. 

The province's section of the trail is just 38 per cent complete, marking the slowest progress in the country. 

"We just lack the capacity to build it to the deadline," said Rick Jacques, trail coordinator for Annapolis Valley Trails Coalition.  

By contrast, trails for all three territories in northern Canada are nearly finished, while the Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador portions are complete. 

The entire Canadian trail system is now 80 per cent connected. 

Members of the Trans Canada Trail Foundation hope the project will connect Canada from coast to coast to coast by 2017. Once built, the system will span 24,000 kilometres. 

In Nova Scotia, each section of the 900-kilometre trail must by built by communities, volunteers and interest groups. Jacques says the ability to build, and access funding and resources, can vary greatly from region to region. 

In P.E.I., the W. Garfield Weston Foundation and Trans Canada Fund donated $1.4 million to help link the already-existing Confederation Trail to the Trans Canada system. The final 44 kilometres were completed last year. 

Jacques expects trail builders in Nova Scotia will meet the deadline of 2017 to mark Canada's 150th birthday. But to do that, parts of the trail will have to run along the shoulder of public roads.

He admits it's not ideal. 

"I'm a trail guy, I'd opt for trails wherever possible. But I know there's just some areas where it's just not gonna happen within that time frame," he said. 

The federal government has provided more than $35 million to help build trails across the country, and is matching 50 cents for every dollar donated.