Nova Scotia Association for Sexual Health

Prior to 1969 the distribution of birth control information and services was an indictable offence. Subsection 207 of the Canadian Criminal Code stated that a person “who offered to sell, advertised, published an advertisement or had for sale or disposal any medicine, drug or article intended or represented as a means of preventing conception or causing abortion”, was liable to two years imprisonment.

Despite this, individuals and organizations had been actively providing Canadian women and men with the means to control the number and spacing of children.  When,in 1969, the use of contraceptive devices was made legal; and abortion, under certain circumstances was permitted; well-established networks already existed. An immediate flurry of excitement and activity further expanded the geographic scope of the birth control movement.

By July 1971 a group of volunteers had formed the Family Planning Association of Nova Scotia (F.P.A.N.S.) Members of this group and three enthusiastic university students, financed through the Opportunities for Youth program, travelled throughout Nova Scotia offering information and researching attitudes towards birth control on behalf of F.P.A.

From these beginnings the Planned Parenthood Association of Nova Scotia emerged on October 22, 1974. PPNS was formally incorporated as a non-profit organization dedicated to providing sexuality education and family planning services on a province wide basis. PPNS received it first funding from the Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada (PPFC).

Halifax’s Metro Area Family Planning Association and PPNS shared a common early history and as a result Metro Area Family Planning became the first affiliate of PPNS. During the early years of development there were also affiliates located in the counties of Lunenburg and Yarmouth. Currently there are six affiliates of PPNS: Planned Parenthood Pictou County (New Glasgow), Planned Parenthood Lunenburg County (Bridgewater), Cumberland County Family Planning (Amherst), Planned Parenthood Metro Clinic (Halifax), Planned Parenthood Cape Breton (Sydney) and Planned Parenthood Sheet Harbour.

All Planned Parenthood Nova Scotia affiliates offer educational services, one on one support and guidance, resource libraries, referrals. Planned Parenthood Metro Clinic is the only PPNS affiliate that offers on-site clinical services. Government grants, fundraising and donations sustain the operations and development of PPNS and its affiliates.

Planned Parenthood Nova Scotia is formally linked to the International Planned Parenthood movement (IPPF) through its membership, established in 1974, in the Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada (PPFC). 

Some hallmarks in Planned Parenthood Nova Scotia’s history have been:

1979- Conference on Sexuality and the Family (this event attracted three hundred delegates and heightened the image of PPNS dramatically)

1979- Establishment of Planned Parenthood Pictou County

1981- Establishment of Cumberland County Family Planning

1985- Parent Kit: A Family Guide to Sexuality Education (a group focused educational resource)

1988- Executive Director’s Conference (Hosted by PPFC in Ottawa)

1991- Invitational Dinner for Policy Makers in the field of sexuality education (Including a three hour seminar by Dr. Bill Fisher, Board Member PPFC and internationally recognized authority on the primary prevention of adolescent pregnancy and HIV/STD prevention)

1996- Just Loosen up and Start Talking (A Nova Scotia Youth Sexual Health Needs and Resource Assessment funded by the Department of Health which aided in establishing the Nova Scotia Round Table on Youth Sexual Health, 1997)

1996- Home Viewing (a discussion video examining the causes and effects of generational family violence from a teen perspective. Funded by Victim’s Services, N.S.  Department of Justice).

1998-Just Loosen Up and Keep Talking (A briefing kit developed by the N.S. Roundtable on Youth Sexual Health in partnership with PPNS and funded by Health Canada designed to increase awareness and create community receptivity to youth sexual health).

2000- Establishment of a new affiliate in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia.

2002- Building Capacity for Social Policy Impact (A two day workshop for sexual health providers in Atlantic Canada)

2005- Planned Parenthood of Nova Scotia changed their name to the Nova Scotia Association for Sexual Health to better reflect the work we do promoting sexual health

2005- Establishment of a new affiliate in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

2006- Provincial conference for educators and health professionals titled What Makes A Great Sexual Health Educator

2008- First annual "Sexcellence" award given to Dr. Pam Brown of Halifax for supporting and promoting outstanding work in the field of sexual Health education.

2009- Second annual "Sexcellence" award given to Ross Blanch of Amherst for supporting and promoting outstanding work in the field of sexual health education.

2010- Third annual "Sexcellence" award given to 

2010- Provincial Conference for educators, health professionals, and service providers titled Healthy Sexuality Is...Conference is to be held in Yarmouth, NS in November 17th and 18th.

2011- Fourth Annual "Sexcellence" award given to Doris Landry of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

2012- Fifth annual "Sexcellence"award given to Lori McCackran of Lunenburg