Community-led strategy expands opportunities for Blacks

Irvine Carvery has spent decades advocating for Black communities in Halifax, yet he says he has never witnessed change as wide-reaching as that generated by the African Nova Scotian Road to Economic Prosperity Plan. For Carvery, who serves as a co-chair of the initiative, the plan has ushered in a level of momentum and community confidence that he describes as unprecedented.

Launched in 2020, the prosperity plan began as a community led effort to confront the systemic barriers that have long limited economic opportunity for African Nova Scotians. It has since developed into a broad partnership involving municipal planning staff, provincial agencies, community organizations and residents working together to create lasting improvements in historically Black communities. Carvery says this collaborative model has allowed communities not only to identify their priorities but also to take real ownership of solutions.

A central feature of the plan is its support for local self determination. Organizers say it has helped communities build the tools and networks needed to influence policy, direct development and protect cultural heritage. This shift is most evident in Beechville, Lucasville and Upper Hammonds Plains, where residents have developed community action plans that establish their goals for future growth. North Preston has completed a community survey to guide its planning, and East Preston has begun its own consultations.

Visible improvements have followed. Across the Halifax region, Black communities have seen upgrades to parks and recreation facilities, new sidewalks and progress on long standing land title issues that have hindered property ownership for generations. The creation of land trusts is giving communities more control over development and helping them preserve land for future generations.

Major municipal projects have also become avenues for economic participation. The Cogswell District redevelopment recorded about ten per cent of its labour hours by Black Nova Scotian workers, and Black owned businesses received more than one million dollars in contracts. Advocates say these gains show what is possible when governments commit to inclusive procurement and workforce development.

The plan’s influence extends beyond infrastructure and economic indicators. Carvery notes a renewed sense of pride and visibility in African Nova Scotian communities whose histories have often been ignored. Leaders involved in the initiative say this renewed confidence is encouraging young people to recognize their place in shaping the province’s future.

As the plan enters its next phase, its reach is set to expand beyond Halifax to communities including Truro and other historic African Nova Scotian settlements. The leadership team intends to establish a secretariat, allowing the group to remain community driven while working with all levels of government on policy informed directly by residents.

With sustained support from municipal and provincial partners, organizers believe the prosperity plan will continue to strengthen economic opportunity and community wellbeing, ensuring that African Nova Scotian communities can grow and thrive on their own terms.

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  Halifax-Nova-Scotia