What we do
Placing quality of life at the centre of our decisions helps foster a more vibrant, inclusive, equitable, and resilient Nova Scotia for all.
Our work is recognized internationally as part of a global movement aimed at improving the quality of life of all Nova Scotia residents.
We work in collaboration with governments, organizations, and individuals to equip them with previously unknowable or ignored information to address longstanding challenges. We commit to what fosters a good quality of life for you and your community.
Our Process
Surveys identify what is going on
We lead the Nova Scotia Quality of Life Survey – the largest of its kind in Canada - that captures the perceptions, experiences, and behaviours of residents across the province.
Tools unveil insights
We simplify and reveal the findings of the survey to explain the problems and opportunities that have been statistically unknowable, or ignored, in our communities.
Engagement drives action
We engage a diverse range of organizations, communities and government leaders - through workshops, meetings, public forums, research and relationship building - to collaborate and help turn the data into action.
What we value
We believe all people should be able to influence change, seed the future, improve their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of their community.
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How we do things is as important as what we do, so we:
Foster relationships that move at the pace of trust and believe trust is the “medium” through which strong and healthy societies grow.
Appreciate and create generous room for different worldviews, abilities, experiences, and personal operating styles in everything we do.
Operate in a collaborative space with partners from the private, public, and non-profit sectors, academia, and local communities.
Engage the wisdom of Nova Scotia residents to inform the work - from across cultures, abilities, demographics, perspectives, and all corners of the province.
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To belong here is to be you.
Our Vision is of a more vibrant, inclusive, equitable, and resilient Nova Scotia that takes all of us.
We are committed to including every Nova Scotian as their whole self; across gender, race, age, ability, sexual orientation, religion, cultures, communities, identities, and perspectives.
We recognize the paradigms of prejudice, racism, colonialism, ableism, and oppression built into our society. We actively look to address ongoing harm and inequities through (un)learning and action that dismantles those paradigms and the structures that uphold and reinforce them.
“We deeply value the insights provided by the Engage Nova Scotia survey, which captures critical information on the quality of life of Nova Scotians and the needs of our communities”
— Dawn Stegan, Executive Director, Accessibility Directorate
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“From this data, we've learned that the quality of life for people with disabilities is consistently lower than that of those without disabilities across all areas, including living standards, leisure and culture, and education.
Using the survey data we are excited to see Nova Scotia leading the way in North America with the development of the first-ever Quality of Life Index for people with disabilities. This initiative will help guide planning, decision-making, and the tracking of progress toward creating a more accessible province. This work aligns with the principles outlined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly Articles 31 and 33, which emphasize the importance of monitoring.
Equally exciting is the trust and collaborative relationships we have built with the disability community throughout this process. The principle of "Nothing about us without us" truly strengthens and uplifts us all.”
