Our services

Elmsdale Community Garden (ECG)

ECG grows fresh, healthy food for the community in a garden behind our office. The food is available to anyone in the community. We also hold free food giveaways, community meals and programs to help people access food in our community.

Learn more about the garden here!

The East Hants Community Learning Association (EHCLA)

EHCLA offers programs to improve literacy and math skills, upgrade employment-ready skills, and prepare for your GED. We also offer community programs such as Family Literacy, Senior Safety and the Skills to Work Program.

Learn more about our programs here!

East Hants & Area Community Rider (EHCR)

The Community Rider offers our passengers safe, cost-effective, inclusive and sustainable transportation to help make life accessible for everyone. Anyone can book a ride!

Learn more and book your first ride here!

Who we are?

We're a non-profit organization that was created to offer educational services to adult residents of East Hants. We've been providing GED prep classes, literacy skills training and community programming for over 10 years. Over the course of that time we realized that one of the biggest barriers to education is transportation - and thus, our Community Rider was born. Through the Community Rider, we are able to offer affordable, inclusive and sustainable transportation for everybody, young and old. Now with a fleet of five vehicles including three wheelchair accessible vans, we make sure residents in our communities get to where they need to go - whether that's visiting your friends, going to the grocery store or attending a medical appointment!

We believe life and learning need to be accessible to everyone.

Our team

Tanya Burke
Executive Director
Tanya Burke
Executive Director
Hayley Miller
Dispatcher / Admin
Hayley Miller
Dispatcher / Admin
Phil Laven
Communications & Programs Manager
Phil Laven
Communications & Programs Manager
Neil Barr
Fleet Coordinator & Driver
Neil Barr
Fleet Coordinator & Driver
Jean Wright
Instructor
Jean Wright
Instructor
Tom Richard
Educator
Tom Richard
Educator
Tanya Ashley
Garden Coordinator
Tanya Ashley
Garden Coordinator
Kilometers Travelled
215325
EHCR Rides
5355
EHCR Passengers
386
Meals Delivered
324

Our Corporate Members

What our community says

Having a resource like the East Hants Community Learning Association provides our community with a place where learning is not only possible but enjoyable. They provide a place where everyone is welcome to learn new skills, advance their education, or engage with the community. I’m extremely proud of what they do and lucky to be a part of it.

Caitlin Patterson Vice-Chair, Board of Directors

The East Hants Community Rider was extremely helpful, accommodating and friendly. I was able to attend numerous doctor’s appointments and specialist appointments. The volunteers went out of their way to ensure I was able to attend all appointments. Without this service, I would have been left with no transportation to seek proper medical attention required over a period of months. I am extremely grateful for our community having such a great service in place.

Community Member

Latest news

Pop Up Markets All Summer Long!

Summer is in full swing and the Elmsdale Community Garden is growing fast! Every year we hold pop up markets to help promote the garden and give away extra produce in communities around East Hants and surrounding areas. We typically announce pop up markets a week in advance, based around staff and volunteer availability. We […]

Garden Party @ the Elmsdale Community Garden

The Elmsdale Community Garden is hosting our first Garden Party of the season on Wednesday, July 28th from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This free outdoor event is still subject to COVID-19 protocols. With Nova Scotia now in Phase 4 of it’s reopening plan, this gathering will be limited to 50 people each half-hour. Public […]

Save the Date: AGM on June 22

East Hants Community Learning Association, East Hants & Area Community Rider and the Elmsdale Community Garden are holding an Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2021. Depending on the restrictions at that time, it may be either a socially-distanced outdoor AGM or an online AGM via Zoom. Please watch our Facebook pages and […]

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