Make Movement Happen
The places we build shape how we move, connect and live.
The decisions we make today will shape the health and vitality of Nova Scotia for decades to come.
In 2024, 57% of Nova Scotians aged 18 and older reported living with at least one chronic medical condition, the second-highest rate among the provinces, according to Statistics Canada. Creating more opportunities for people to move in their daily lives is one way we can support better health across the province.
Movement doesn’t have to mean sport or exercise. It happens when people walk or wheel to a destination, garden, play, gather with neighbours or simply move through their community. Whether those things feel easy, safe and welcoming is shaped by decisions about streets, public spaces, transportation, programs and community design.
That means leaders have an important role to play.
Building on the work of Make Your Move, the Healthy Tomorrow Foundation launched Make Movement Happen in 2026 to bring a stronger focus to the role community leaders can play in making movement easier in everyday life.
The initiative supports municipal and provincial leaders in exploring how simple, everyday movement can be considered within the plans, policies and investments already shaping their communities.
We bring together Nova Scotia data, research, community experience and practical tools to help leaders connect movement with priorities such as health, belonging, tourism, population retention and economic resilience.
When we make movement easier, we help create healthier, more connected communities and better places to call home.
See Make Movement Happen in action
Building a culture of movement in Antigonish
What happens when a community becomes more intentional about making movement part of everyday life?
This short documentary explores the Municipality of the County of Antigonish’s experience as one of five communities participating in the multi-year Make Your Move Communities project. Chief Administrative Officer Shirlyn Donovan shares the leadership, partnerships and practical actions behind the community’s work, while project mentor Ellen Kehr brings lessons from the Blue Zones Project in Albert Lea, Minnesota.
Together, their experiences show how communities can learn from what works and adapt ideas to their own strengths, needs and priorities.
Continue the conversation
Coming soon
Make Movement Happen podcast
What does movement have to do with the economy, healthy aging, transportation, accessibility or the way we design our communities?
The Make Movement Happen podcast brings together Nova Scotia community leaders, researchers and changemakers to explore how the decisions we make can create more opportunities for people to move and connect.
Each conversation looks at movement through a different lens, connecting research and real-world experience with the issues and priorities shaping communities across Nova Scotia.
Get the big picture
Make Movement Happen Commercial
See how simple movement connects with community priorities and discover the role municipal and provincial leaders can play in creating conditions that help people move, connect and thrive.
Make Movement Happen brochure
Looking for a quick overview? Our brochure introduces Make Movement Happen, why everyday movement matters and some of the ways leaders can help create the conditions for it.
Ready to explore what making movement happen could look like in your community?
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Every community has different priorities, opportunities and challenges. Make Movement Happen brings together research, Nova Scotia data, community experience and practical tools to help leaders understand where movement fits within their work and identify opportunities for action.
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We translate research and Nova Scotia data into practical insights that help leaders understand connections between movement and community priorities, including health, tourism, vibrant public spaces, population attraction and retention, and economic resilience.
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Learn from Nova Scotia communities that are putting movement into practice and explore approaches that could inform action in your own community.
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Bring the conversation to your community council, organization or partners with presentations and resources designed to connect movement with local priorities, plans and investments.
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You don’t need to have a plan in place to get started.
Our team can help you explore where movement connects with the work already happening in your community, share relevant evidence and examples, and identify resources that can support your next steps.