The government of Canada and the province of Nova Scotia are making a combined investment of C$10 million (US$7.2 million) to improve rural transit service in the counties of Kings, Annapolis and Digby, Nova Scotia, as well as surrounding communities.

Projects include replacing six aging buses with five new conventional buses and one new electric bus. Tidal Transit Authority, which serves eight rural municipalities across the western region of Nova Scotia from Weymouth to Grand Pré, will also install three charging stations and upgrade their maintenance facility.

“Not everyone in Kings County owns a car and not everyone can drive," said Nova Scotia Minister of Finance and Treasury Board and MLA for Kings North John Lohr. "Community transit gets so many people where they need to go: school, work, medical appointments or just out to see friends and family. The province is so pleased to be able to support Tidal Transit as an important link between communities.”

Municipality of the County of Kings Mayor Dave Corkum calls the investment a "major win" for rural transit.

“This funding means new buses, improved infrastructure and more reliable service for the people who depend on public transit every day. It’s a significant investment in our community and in the future of rural transit," Corkum said.

The government of Canada's C$8 million (US$5.8 million) in funding comes from the Rural Transit Solutions Fund, which supports a range of public transit models, including fixed-route transit, flex-route transit, demand-response transit, community shuttles and Mobility-as-a-Service. The provinces' C$2 million (US$1.4 million) in funding comes from the Public Transit Assistance Program.