$500,000 gift from Scotiabank for Trail development in New Brunswick

On October 26, 2015, the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) was thrilled to announce a $500,000 gift from Scotiabank– funds to be matched at 50% by the Government of Canada-for a total of $750,000 in Trail-development funding for New Brunswick at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B.
Scotiabank’s visionary gift will help the TCT complete a large section of trail, stretching from the City of Dieppe, N.B to the Confederation Bridge linking mainland New Brunswick with Prince Edward Island.

“We are grateful for this generous $500,000 donation from Scotiabank and for the corresponding matching funds from the Government of Canada,” said Valerie Pringle, Co-Chair of the Trans Canada Trail Foundation, who emceed the Sackville event.

“Completing this section of the Trail in New Brunswick is an important step in helping the TCT reach our bold goal of a fully connected Trail, from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic coasts, by Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017.”

Scotiabank’s generous gift to the TCT’s Chapter 150 philanthropic Campaign will help connect three major Trail gaps, including le Sentier de l’Étoile, where the TCT runs along the historic dike lands adjacent to the tidal Petitcodiac River in New Brunswick.

This new funding will also help develop an important section of Trail linking Saint-Joseph and Dorchester, and a number of gaps in The Marshes, a well-known Trail section linking Sackville to both Cape Jourimain and Cape Tormentine in southeastern New Brunswick.

“We are proud to support the Trans Canada Trail because at Scotiabank we believe in helping build healthy, vibrant communities,” said Craig Thompson, Senior Vice President, Atlantic Region at Scotiabank. “The Trail, which will connect our country, will give Canadians great spaces to be active while exploring our diverse landscapes and appreciating our rich history.”

The TCT is also currently working with the New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI), to identify road cycling routes that will promote active living and transportation, and drive tourism and local economic development. With the support of the DTI, the TCT will connect over 330 km of the province’s Trail section via road cycling routes, ensuring the 100% connection of the TCT in New Brunswick by 2017.

The TCT in New Brunswick
New Brunswick’s portion of the TCT will be 913 km long when fully connected in 2017. Of this total, 559 km have already been connected in New Brunswick, with 354 km currently under development. The province is currently 61% connected.