C O N N E C T 2 P R O G R A M D E S C R I P T I O N

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1 D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 1

2 Introduction Connect2 is based on a vision that all trips under two kilometres to key destinations in Nova Scotia communities can be made using sustainable modes of transportation. The Connect2 grant program supports community driven projects that improve connectivity and help to achieve a low-carbon transportation future with higher mode-shares of biking, walking, rolling, shared transportation, transit, and land-use planning that is oriented to sustainable modes of transportation. Expression of Interest (EOI) deadline is on March 26, Application submission deadline is on March 29, To access an application form to submit a full proposal, applicants are to provide a summary of their project idea(s) in an expression of interest available online. If you have questions, please contact the Program Coordinator at Connect2@novascotia.ca. Program Overview Sustainable Transportation, as defined in the Sustainable Transportation Strategy: Choose How you Move, is about driving less and moving more. It means providing more mobility options to more people, and greater connectivity between the places we need to go. Great transportation systems enable everyone to get around without solely relying on a personal vehicle. Convenient, safe, clean, and attractive modes for sustainable transportation are key to building vibrant, livable, and low-carbon communities that are suitable for aging populations, young people, newcomers, and small businesses. The Connect2 grant program expands Nova Scotian communities options for walking, biking, rolling, shared mobility, and transit while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by funding great projects that create sustainable transportation options and build infrastructure for short-distance sustainable travel. Projects that use new ideas or best practices* to connect destinations and decrease dependency on personal vehicles by improving transportation hubs and integrated mobility are eligible for up to 50% funding. The Province has allocated a fund of $600,000 to the Department of Energy to advance sustainable transportation options in Nova Scotia communities. This grant will be for the fiscal year. Projects must be completed by March 8, *A few examples of best practices are included at the end of this program description under Appendix 2: Best Practices Guidance. It is highly recommended that applicants review those prior to submitting their EOI online. D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 2

3 Application Categories The program considers applications under two categories: 1 Infrastructure and Design Projects under this category may include: support for active transportation (AT) infrastructure or design AT or sustainable transportation plans transit plans modeling or design for transportation improvements transportation demand management shared mobility services engineering and feasibility studies. Connect2 will provide grants of up to $100,000 per project in this category. 2 Enabling Projects under this category may include: Education Public Engagement social Marketing Data Collection and Evaluation Informational Supports (e.g. signage, maps, technology) Ideas or Best Practices that require more studies to advance sustainable transportation in Nova Scotia Connect2 will provide grants of up to $30,000 per project in this category. Please Note: If a project has both infrastructure and enabling components, it will be considered under the Infrastructure and Design category as long as 80% of the project component is infrastructure. New Evaluation Standards New to this Connect2 funding round, we will be requesting applicants to complete an Evaluation Plan when submitting their application to show us how they plan on evaluating the goals they aim to achieve through their project completion. The Evaluation and Measurability portion of your project will make up 30% of your total score. The purpose of this new exercise is to encourage applicants to think of the right practices to achieve the envisioned outcome. D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 3

4 Eligibility Eligible Applicants This program is open to any type of organization registered under Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies that is seeking progressive and practical solutions to sustainable transportation issues in Nova Scotia The primary partner must be based in Nova Scotia and ideally will be based in the community or region the project will serve Eligible Projects Must be identified in an AT plan or Municipal document, or must have a letter of support from Council Must have all necessary permits Must be able to provide documentation for matching funding Must be able to clearly demonstrate GHG reducing ability Note: The following examples are illustrative only, and are not meant to define what is appropriate in a local context. Infrastructure and Design Project Examples Active Transportation Infrastructure Shared mobility services, public transit, and community transportation Modeling, planning, and design Construction of protected or marked bike lanes or active transportation connector under two kilometres that are primarily used for utilitarian purposes and are an identified priority in an official municipal document (e.g. AT Plan) and connect destinations within city, town, or village. See the Best Practice Guidance at the end of this document. Note that Share-the-road signage is not considered adequate marking of a bike lane in this program Pedestrian facilities such as curbsides that are identified as a priority in an official municipal document. See the Best Practice Guidance document. Note that construction of sidewalks will not be covered by Connect2 Designs and materials that demonstrate new or best-practices for Nova Scotia Planning, route and ridership analysis, feasibility and design studies Transportation Demand Management, AT, Integrated Mobility, complete streets, Transit-oriented development, GHG reduction for the transportation sector, landuse policies (such as new by-laws promoting mixed-use), placemaking for transit or multi-modal transportation hubs, engineering design D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 4

5 Enabling Project Examples Initiatives that encourage people to use AT, transit, shared transportation and other sustainable modes of transportation, especially those that build on existing resources and/or collaborative efforts Public engagement on planning, design and infrastructure development Education, awareness, or social marketing campaigns or events that can demonstrate impact on transportation behaviours Studies or evaluation frameworks that collect or use data for better decision-making or infrastructure planning Examples of projects not eligible for funding under Connect2 Trails that do not connect two major destinations/services Trails that are primarily used for recreational purposes or activities that are not transport related Trails that allow Off Highway Vehicles (OHV) (e.g. ATVs, Snowmobiles, Off-Road Motorcycles, etc.) usage AT infrastructure and design projects that are not identified as a transportation or AT priority or plan in an official municipal document or do not have a letter of support from council AT or transit aspects of provincial transportation infrastructure projects Vehicle purchases or operational costs for transit and shared-mobility services Electric cars or associated infrastructure Organizational administration and restructuring Projects without written permission of the landowner for infrastructure and/or design Projects without the NS Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approval for activities on DNR Crown lands Projects without the NS Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) approval for the AT design or plan on provincial roads Projects without the necessary permits from NS Department of Environment for infrastructure and design projects D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 5

6 Connect2 Funding Guidelines This grant will cover up to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $100,000 per tangible infrastructure and design project or $30,000 for enabling projects, as explained above. Funding will be for the fiscal year. Projects must be completed by March 8, 2019 to receive full payment of the grant. All reasonable, direct project costs are eligible for funding under this program. Connect2 staff reserve the right to question/decline funding for costs that are not deemed reasonable. Connect2 Grant Program will fund up to 50% of the total project cost. Applicants must provide a local contribution that meets the following criteria: a) Local Cash contribution of at least 12.5% of the total project cost b) Local In-kind contributions of no more than 12.5% of the total project cost o Qualified in-kind contributions include: donated material, equipment and labor from another party (in-kind reporting form will be provided upon reporting time) o Local means from within a community or within NS, and could include resources from municipalities, villages, community organizations, or businesses. It does not include funding from other provincial government departments o Incremental costs incurred by the applicant or partners in association with the proposed project. To be eligible, incremental costs must be additional, new costs incurred because of the initiative, including new space provided for the project or volunteer labor associated with the project. c) Other Cash can make up the remaining funding. Criteria differs based on applicants: o For Municipalities & Non-Profits: Funding can include other sources of provincial government contributions and any other type of funding. This means municipalities and non-profits could have up to 75% of their cash from provincial funding (i.e. 50% from Connect2 and 25% from another provincial departments) o For Universities, Private Business, & First Nations bands: Funding ca n include any other source but cannot include another provincial government contribution Total Project Funding Remaining Other Cash At least 12.5% Local Cash Up to 50% Connect2 Max 12.5% In-Kind D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 6

7 Assessment Criteria Proposals will be evaluated by an interdepartmental committee of NS Government staff. Projects are scored on the extent to which it meets each criteria: Criteria Scoring FOCUS and IMPACT: Does your project improve connectivity within 2KM; Decrease dependency on personal motorized vehicles? Decrease Greenhouse Gas emission? What is the need/problem you aim to address? How does your project address this need? Who will be impacted by your project, how and when? How will your project increase the number of users for a sustainable mode of transportation (i.e. biking, walking, rolling, public transit) and/or shift transportation behaviours? How will this project help to advance your community s or organization s strategy or plans to shift transportation behaviours? Will this project create new jobs or have other economic spin-offs (both at the time of the execution of the project and/or after the implementation)? How does your project support all ages and abilities? 30 EVALUATION and MEASURABILITY: How will you measure: the impact of your project on mode shares; the implementation or diffusion of a best practice; the success or learnings from this project? How will the impact of your project be tracked over time (i.e., one, three, and five years)? Specifics on your evaluation methodology are expected and must be reported against the project proposal in the final report successful applicants will be expected to complete a project evaluation plan to measure their project goals as part of the application. An example of the requirement can be found in Appendix 1. BEST PRACTICE and INNOVATION: Does this project apply best practices in planning and/or design for sustainable transportation? Does it test or advance an idea, concept or best practice that will improve sustainable transportation options in Nova Scotia? Is it based on data, evidence or modelling? ENGAGEMENT and PARTNERSHIP: Has the applicant effectively engaged with all relevant groups impacted by this project? Does this proposal represent a new or existing partnership? 10 CAPACITY and SUSTAINABILITY: How will your organization or community support, adjust and sustain this work so that it continues over time, including after funding for Connect2 ends? Is it identified as a municipal priority (e.g. identified in the AT Plan)? Do you foresee any potential barriers to completing the project by the assigned deadline? 10 IMPORTANT NOTES: You must complete a budget as part of your application. Applications with incomplete or insufficient budgets will have points taken away from their final score. Infrastructure projects (construction and/or design) must include the written permission of the landowner when submitting the application and have the NS Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approval for activities on DNR Crown lands. Projects with an AT design or plan on provincial roads must consult with the NS Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) and demonstrate awareness of TIR s design guidelines and other AT related criteria. The draft plan must also be reviewed by TIR. Infrastructure and design projects must include the necessary permits from NS Department of Environment. D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 7

8 Application Submission Process Step 1 Submit a brief overview (Expression of Interest) of your project idea as soon as possible online at: AT Infrastructure projects are required to submit a map within 24 hours of submitting their expression of interest. Please refer to the Show Us Your route! Guide for instructions available online. Step 2 You will receive an application form by from Department of Energy within 48 hours if your EOI has been approved. The Program Coordinator may contact you with questions. Step 3 Submit the completed application to Connect2@novascotia.ca no later than March 29, Early application submission is encouraged. Please do not send scanned applications or hard copies. Video and visual materials are encouraged. Due to the increased popularity of the Connect2 Program, we are encouraging all applicants to put forth strong application packages. Applicants will be scored based on their alignment with the criteria set in the program description. Applicants will be expected to ensure all required supporting documents are provided at the time of submission. Timeline March 26, 2018: Deadline to submit expression of interest March 29, 2018: Deadline to submit completed application Beginning of May and forward: Awards announcements Questions? Contact the Sustainable Transportation Program Coordinator, at: Connect2@novascotia.ca D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 8

9 Appendix 1: Evaluation Plan Example Infrastructure Project Example: Adding protected bike lane infrastructure to create a bike lane network/minimum grid Goal Examples: Increased mode share, Increased Connectivity Goal What s Your Indicator of Success What data source will you be monitoring? What Evaluation Tool will you Use? Main Question(s) Timeframe Increased mode share Increased Cyclist usage Cyclist Counts AT Counter By adding additional bike lanes to create a network, will we see an increased use from our baseline? Install an AT Counter over a two-week period Increased Connectivity Increased sense/perception of connectivity in the town Survey results Quantitative Survey By adding additional bike lanes to create a network, will we see an increased sense of connectivity in out town from our baseline survey results? Run a survey over a onemonth period Enabling Project Example: Creating awareness of our town s current AT corridors through an online presence campaign Goal Example: Increased Unique Engagement Online Goal Increased Unique Engagement Online What s Your Indicator of Success Increased unique online presence traffic Counts What data source will you be monitoring? Unique Page visits More engagement (likes, comments, shares, retweets, etc.) What Evaluation Tool will you Use? Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Website) Tracking Google Analytics Main Question(s) By launching an online presence campaign on AT in our town, did we experience more engagement online (in comparison to our baseline)? Timeframe Over the course of our campaign period D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 9

10 Appendix 2: Best Practice Guidance Urban Street Design Guide NACTO Designing for All Ages and Abilities NACTO Transit Street Design Guide NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide NACTO Bike Share Station Siting Guide NACTO Planning and Design for Pedestrians and Cyclists Vélo Québec Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18, Cycling Facilities Province of Ontario d d4a0063d934/$file/ontario%20traffic%20manual%20 -%20Book%2018.pdf Ontario Traffic Manual Book 15, Pedestrian Crossing Facilities Province of Ontario pdf Complete Streets Guidelines for Toronto City of Toronto Accessible Shared Streets: Notable Practices and Considerations for Accommodating Pedestrians with Vision Disabilities US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration ations/accessible_shared_streets/#planning Small Town & Rural Multimodal Networks US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration ations/small_towns/fhwahep17024_lg.pdf Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration ations/separated_bikelane_pdg/page00.cfm Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic (Newest Edition) CROW Netherlands (1) D E P A R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y 10