News
RNS meets with Minister Ritcey of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage
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In July, RNS leadership met with Minister Ritcey and senior staff to discuss key priorities impacting recreation and community wellbeing across Nova Scotia.
Representing RNS were President Brendon Smithson, President-Elect Laura Jacobs, and Executive Director Graham Mounsey. Our last meeting took place in early 2025 and so this provided an opportunity to provide updates on the key asks from 2025, as well as highlight opportunity and priorities affecting the recreation sector.
Recreation Leadership Development
RNS provided an update on the new Nova Scotia-grown Recreation Leadership Training program, developed with funding support from CCTH. With the training currently being piloted, we discussed the engagement process and the opportunity for a new provincial standard for recreation leaders in Nova Scotia.
Improving Community Use of Schools
RNS highlighted the work of multiple partners examining issues around community use of schools, identified as a key sector issue across the province. A working group is continuing to assist in moving forward to understand and address with focus of sector level benefit and collective impact with an open Community Use of Schools meeting on 15th September.
Recreation & Emergency Response
The meeting provided an opportunity to highlight the important role that our sector professionals, facilities, parks and outdoor spaces play during emergencies and in community recovery efforts. RNS discussed opportunities to strengthen connections between recreation and provincial emergency planning processes to support protection of and safe access to key community spaces during times of crisis.
National Framework for Recreation & Parks
RNS also highlighted Nova Scotia’s leadership role in the renewal of the National Framework for Recreation & Parks in Canada, expressing it’s commitment to supporting implementation efforts across the province.
We appreciate the Minister Ritcey’s time and willingness to engage in meaningful discussion about the future of recreation in Nova Scotia. RNS remains committed to being a collaborative partner and strong voice for recreation across the province.
Have an issue or opportunity we should be elevating?
We’d love to hear from you. The strongest sector conversations are grounded in the experiences of our members. Share the challenges, opportunities, and ideas that matter most in your community. Your input helps guide our work and strengthens our collective voice.
Rec Highlight: My Journey with Equine Assisted Learning
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Personal Development…but Add Horses
By Kerri Jack
When I started hanging out at my local barn, I had no idea my journey with horses would lead to spending 5 days in a cold shed and muddy arena learning how to facilitate personal growth with the help of horses…but that is exactly what happened.
My story starts two years ago, when a good friend of mine invited me to spend the afternoon at a local horse barn. I happily agreed, not really anticipating much more from the experience than an afternoon spent with a friend, but I instantly felt at home. My whole personally may have changed after that day; I was now set on being a horsey girl. I almost instantly connected with the largest horse on the property, a draft cross named Hoss. Hoss was purchased as a “husband horse”, a large, bomb proof horse that any man could ride on the trails when the opportunity arose. Because he wasn’t in active work, he tended to be a bit harder to catch in the field and wasn’t always the first choice of regular riders or visitors.
But for some reason, I saw him and he saw me. It was an instant connection.
That is where my journey with horses truly began. I spent a lot of time at the barn with Hoss as my horse of choice. He seemed to choose me as much as I chose him. He would often approach me in the field and was so patient as I learned the basics of horse care, like how to properly put on a halter, where to attach a lead line and what side to stand on, and even tolerated the odd eye poke, twisted rope or wrong move.
My first couple of months consisted of learning about horses; their unique language and how they communicate, heard dynamics and horse care. But most importantly, I realized how insanely healing it was to spend time with horses. I didn’t think I had much interest in riding horses at first, until one day, out of no where, I jumped on Hoss bareback (don’t freak out, he’s bombproof, remember?). I soon began taking riding lessons and even attended a few shows in the summer of 2025. Though I enjoyed riding and showing, I never really lost that desire to connect with horses in a non-riding capacity.
Throughout my first year at the barn, I had been introduced to the idea of equine assisted learning (EAL). EAL is a hands-on, non-riding, experiential approach to personal and professional growth that involves working with horses. Through activities with the horses, people explore skills like communication, confidence, emotional awareness, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership. An example of an EAL activity would be to navigate a horse through an obstacle course with a four-person team, except one team member is blindfolded, one cannot speak, one cannot hear and one cannot use their hands. How will you work together to achieve your goal and most importantly, will your horse respond to your effort? What will you do if your horse doesn’t follow the plan? What will you learn about yourself, your teammates and your horse through the process. That’s EAL.
In the winter of 2026, I was approved for a $12,038 grant through the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program to develop and host an EAL program in the community, which would be offered for free to seniors. Now the hard part began, to create this program from the ground up.
After connecting with an online EAL community, finding a local mentor and doing a lot of research, it was a no brainer to go through the Cartier Farms Equine Assisted Learning certification program. Cartier is the leading provider of EAL programming and certification in North America. They have been in the business for 24 years and have been the subject of three major research studies. Thanks to the leadership of Jessica Pike, board member of the non-profit therapeutic farm, Arrow of Light Association, I was able to take the certification right here in Nova Scotia. Jessica worked tirelessly to secure funding through the Native Council of Nova Scotia’s Aboriginal Peoples Training & Employment Commission to host a Cartier Farms Certification course in Elmsdale and to fund four Indigenous women to complete the certification.
Now we are at the part of the story where I found myself in a cold shed and muddy arena for 5 days.
The course took place in Elmsdale, utilizing an outdoor arena at a local hobby farm and the shed of a nearby home for classroom work. In true Nova Scotia fashion, it was cold, rainy and foggy for most of the week. The course was mentally tough. The mornings were spent in the classroom, learning the program theory and the afternoons were spent in the arena, facilitating EAL programming. The evenings were for homework and exam preparation. For 5 days straight, I lived and breathed EAL.
I was surprised to be tasked with facilitating a group of volunteers on day one of the course, after only one morning of instruction and a lunch period to learn the activity and prepare. I got through it, but I will not lie to you, some tears were shed. I learned quickly that my recreation experience did not prepare me to be an effective EAL facilitator. I had to practice saying less and intervening less so that I was not interrupting the learning experience of the participants in my group.
I learned quick that facilitating EAL is not about me, it is about the participants and the horse. I had one participant who struggled during portions of the activity, and I wanted so much to step in and make the experience positive for them, but that would have been making the experience about me. Personal growth and awareness happen during a challenge or uncomfortable experience. That participant learned something about themselves that day and eventually asked to return for the next 3 days of facilitator training. Day one was a powerful day for me. Even though I broke down and shed some tears during our activity debrief, I learned how powerful EAL is and the impact that even one session can have on a person. That was a lesson I will never forget.
The next four days were very similar. Classwork when it was raining and arena work when it wasn’t. Sometimes I facilitated, sometimes I participated. In between the course requirements, I learned more about my classmates, instructors and hosts and made connections that I hope will last a lifetime.
I left that course with more than a certification…I gained new friendships with a group of powerful and inspiring women; I learned more about myself as a facilitator and a renewed focus and determination to share this amazing program with anyone that will listen. Planning and preparations are currently underway for an EAL program in my community, beginning hopefully over the summer and continuing into the fall.
Over the next few months, if I lead a sentence with, “I just became certified as an equine assisted learning facilitator and…” just bear with me. So much of my professional, volunteer and personal life can be connected to what I learned during that cold week in May and also….just about everything could benefit from adding horses.
Recreation Leaders from Across Atlantic Canada Gathering in Halifax for Regional Conference
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From emergency response to community wellbeing, recreation practitioners and recreation facilities are stepping up to play a bigger role than ever in community life. From May 20-22, 2026, over 200 leaders from across Atlantic Canada and beyond are gathering in Halifax to explore what comes next.
Recreation Nova Scotia (RNS) and the Recreation Facility Association of Nova Scotia (RFANS) are proud to host the upcoming Atlantic Recreation & Facilities Conference (ARFC), taking place May 20-22, 2026, at the Westin Nova Scotian in Halifax.
Under the theme Powering Possibility: Tools for Today’s Recreation and Facility Leaders, this year’s conference will welcome delegates, sponsors, and exhibitors for three days of learning, collaboration, and networking. Held biennially, ARFC brings together recreation professionals, facility operators, municipal leaders, and sector partners, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening recreation, community infrastructure and services across the Atlantic region.
As recreation departments and facilities are increasingly called upon to respond to broader community challenges, including emergency response, homelessness, climate resilience, community wellbeing, and inclusive public spaces, the conference will focus on the evolving role recreation plays in supporting healthy, connected, and resilient communities.
“The recreation sector continues to adapt and step up to meet the evolving needs of communities across the region, helping shape healthy, active, and vibrant communities. ARFC provides an important opportunity for those recreation and facility leaders to learn from one another and build knowledge together as we navigate many similar challenges and opportunities across the four provinces”. said Graham Mounsey, Executive Director, Recreation Nova Scotia.
“Recreation facilities are becoming increasingly important pieces of community infrastructure during emergencies.” said Recreation Facility Association of Nova Scotia Executive Director, Jennie Greencorn. “Whether providing shelter during extreme weather events, operating as cooling or warming centres, or supporting community recovery efforts, recreation facilities and those who operate them are playing a key role in local community resilience.”
A featured session, The Changing Role of Recreation when Emergencies Occur, will explore how recreation facilities and professionals are becoming essential community hubs during emergencies and natural disasters. The panel will bring together recreation professionals who have first-hand experiences of adapting recreation facilities and services to respond to community needs during times of crisis. They will share their experiences and lessons learned, facilitated by Nancy Dubois of the Canadian Parks & Recreation Association.
Delegates will also participate in behind-the-scenes tours of recreation and sport facilities across Halifax, including the Halifax Waterfront, the Halifax Commons Pool and Emera Oval, Dalhousie University’s Dalplex, the new Oulton-Stanish Centre, and Wickwire Field. RNS and RFANS are pleased to welcome representatives from our funding partners at the Province of Nova Scotia, underscoring the ongoing commitment to recreation, community infrastructure, and the professionals who support communities across the province.
Additional Information:
The event is hosted in partnership with Recreation PEI, Recreation NB | Loisirs N.-B, and Recreation Newfoundland & Labrador. Further details about the conference are available at ARFC.ca
Recreation Nova Scotia is a provincial not-for-profit organization that supports, promotes, and advocates for the values and personal, social, economic, and environmental benefits of recreation and leisure through education, partnerships, and sector development.
The Recreation Facility Association of Nova Scotia is a provincial not-for-profit that supports recreation facility professionals and operators providing leadership in developing, promoting and advocating excellence in recreational facilities, operations and personnel.
Contacts:
Graham Mounsey, Executive Director
Recreation Nova Scotia
902-789-9052
Jennie Greencorn, Executive Director
Recreation Facility Association of Nova Scotia
902-425-5450
RE Through Recreation: Reflections on the Winter Movie Media Meet-Up Series
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by Fawn Logan-Young
Recreation Nova Scotia and the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre's Every One Every Day Program came together with a shared intention: to create space for deeper learning, reflection, and action around decolonization and anti-racism in recreation.
What emerged through the Movie Media Meet-Up series was far more than a set of film screenings. It became a meaningful community of practice, grounded in relationship-building, storytelling, and a willingness to ask difficult but necessary questions.
As co-facilitators, Hank Barker and I set out to use Canadian media as a catalyst for exploring colonial and racial barriers in recreation and the outdoors, while supporting participants to move toward tangible change in their own communities. Over four in-person sessions, we witnessed how powerful the combination of film and dialogue can be.
Each gathering invited participants to engage with a different lens. From environmental racism to colonial control, from reconnection to land to expressions of joy and resistance, the films helped ground complex ideas in lived experience and challenged many of us to reconsider what recreation truly means, and who it has historically been designed for.
Early sessions focused on access: who has safe, clean, and welcoming spaces to gather, play, and connect with the land. Participants reflected on how far we have come, while also acknowledging that environmental and social inequities continue to shape recreational opportunities across Nova Scotia. As the series progressed, conversations expanded further to specifically examine how historical systems of control continue to echo in present-day recreation structures, influencing anything from funding and policies to programming design.
One of the most powerful threads across all four sessions was the idea of reconnection through recreation. Through personal stories of land, water, and cultural practices, participants began to reimagine recreation as something more expansive. Something rooted in relationship, identity, and wellness. We spoke often about "body memory": the sense of familiarity and belonging that can arise when engaging in activities tied to ancestry and land, whether canoeing, being near water, or simply spending time outdoors.
At the same time, we acknowledged that for some communities, particularly Indigenous and African Nova Scotian communities, access to these spaces has been historically restricted or hindered and the intergenerational impacts can be witnessed today.
The North Preston Surf Program, featured in Freedom Swell, offered a powerful example of these impacts being addressed: by using surf as a catalyst, the program gave participants navigating intergenerational trauma - including deep-rooted barriers around water and access - opened pathways to mental and social resilience, self-determination, and community leadership. It illustrated how intentional investment in recreation can create ripple effects that touch health, identity, and opportunity in ways that extend far beyond the activity itself.
Discussions also acknowledged the current realities facing the sector, like funding challenges and shifting priorities, reinforcing the importance of advocating for recreation not as a luxury, but as an essential component of individual and community well-being.
Throughout the series, participants consistently returned to a core truth: recreation holds the potential to reconnect us.
To ourselves.
To each other.
And to the land.
It creates space for silence and reflection in a fast-moving world, while also offering opportunities for learning, reciprocity, and relationship-building. Most importantly, participants left with a clearer sense of how they can contribute to more equitable and inclusive recreation. Whether through small shifts in programming, deeper engagement with community voices, or ongoing learning and unlearning.
One moment from the series that stays with me came when a participant paused to look at the word recreation itself. Break "recreation" down to its roots, they pointed out, and you find something quietly profound: re and creation. To recreate. To create again. In that reframing, recreation stops being about leisure or programming or structured activity… It becomes an act of renewal and resilience. For communities that have experienced disconnection from land, culture, and identity, that idea carries real weight. Recreation, understood this way, is not just about filling time or building fitness. It is about reclaiming, restoring, and reimagining. It is about returning to something essential and rebuilding it on your own terms. Perhaps that is the most honest definition of what this series was really about.
This series is only one step in a much larger journey. But it has shown us what is possible when we come together with openness, curiosity, and a commitment to doing better.
For everyone, every day.
Fawn Logan-Young,
Projects, Equity and Anti-Racism Coordinator
Community Use of Schools
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Community Use of Schools Issue Mapping
With leadership and collaboration from recreation colleagues in municipal and provincial government, we were glad to support an in-person workshop focused on defining and analyzing the core issue with Community Use of Schools in Nova Scotia.
An online survey was conducted in Sept-November 2025 with 117 unique responses recorded. What came from the survey highlighted that whilst overall access was often there, key challenges exist in areas such as booking systems, access to different school areas other than gymnasiums, and with adoption or use of agreements between parties.
To dive deeper into the topic, 15-20 recreation professionals explored the core issue for Community Use of Schools for municipal recreation. The group sought to determine root causes and effects of the core issue, and began to map potential actions and priority areas of focus.
Continuing to move forward, we invite those who attended and others interested to join online on April 30th to determine strategic actions based on the information gathered so far. The session will be held virtually via MS Teams from 1-2.30pm.
If you are interested in joing on April 30th, or for any further information, please reach out to Lisa at
Background
For Recreation Nova Scotia, the issue of inconsistent, inequitable, or challenging access to schools for community use has risen as a key priority to address. Althogh not necessaruly a new issue, certain challenges have been exacerbated in recent years and with increased demand on recreation facilities the potential for improved access to schools for community use is heightened. In a planning session at the RNS Conference in Antigonish in October 2024, Community Use of Schools was brought up by attendees as a key priorities for the sector. In February 2025, RNS raised the issue when meeting the Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage (CCTH) to bring attention to the issue seeking cross-departmental collaboration to address with the recreation sector at the table.
With the survey in late 2025, our goal was to better understand the challenges and differences in how recreation departments and groups can access school facilities. We are now looking forward to understand the core issues in more depth and identify strategic actions moving forward.
Collecting Stories of Impact - Provincial Budget 2026-27
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Share how the proposed Provincial budget cuts may impact recreation in your community.
What We Need from You:
- What programs or services are funded (e.g., Active Living, community grants, local initiatives)
- Who is impacted (how many people, which groups, how often)
- What participation looks like (e.g., weekly programs, seasonal events, drop-in access)
- What would change if funding is reduced or lost
- A key support for managing physical and mental health
- A way to stay connected, especially in rural communities
- A foundation for inclusive, accessible programming
- A driver of community pride, belonging, and even local economic stability
- People may face increased isolation, reduced activity, and declining health
- Programs built with community trust could disappear
- Organizations may be forced to raise fees or cut services altogether
- Rural communities could lose vital opportunities that help keep people living and thriving locally