Exploring holistic resilience in Nova Scotia: a study of Hall's Harbour

Small rural communities in Nova Scotia grapple significantly with the impacts of coastal climate change and adaptation efforts target these environmental threats. However, socioeconomic factors also impact the resilience capacity of these communities. This research uses the Nova Scotian coastal community of Hall’s Harbour as a case study to explore holistic community resilience within the contexts of climate change and other socioeconomic considerations. Semi-structured interviews and a focus group with community members and other stakeholders serve as the data for the inquiry. Data analysis identified five themes that include: community values, coastal climate adaptation, tourism development, the communities’ capacity for resilience, and community economic and infrastructure development as the key factors supporting holistic resilience in the small rural coastal community of Hall’s Harbour. Key insights from the findings include: (i) building resilience through infrastructure development (ii) engaging the community capitals to enhance community resilience, and (iii) the significance of adaptive capacities in community adaptation and resilience planning. Based on the findings, the study suggests that effective community resilience building in the context of small coastal communities like Hall’s Harbour relies not only on climatic/environmental factors but on the combination of different socioeconomic influences within and outside the community. Key recommendations for resilience planning in small rural and coastal contexts include improved community engagement, diversified funding, stronger partnership, and capacity building.