A car-sharing company has added four accessible vehicles to its Halifax-area fleet with funding from the Nova Scotia government.

One fully accessible van and three accessible cars, all with hand controls, are now available from CarShare Atlantic.

Paul Vienneau, accessibility adviser for the Halifax Regional Municipality, said the cars will give people with disabilities more freedom to do activities and run errands.

"Change like this benefits every single Nova Scotian — not just the disabled. We all play a part in building a society we want to live in and leave to those coming after us," Vienneau said Tuesday.

HRM's disability adviser, Paul Vienneau, says the new cars will make it easier for people with disabilities to get out and about. (CBC)

The company received $42,053 from the province's Business Access-Ability Program, which has given more than $1 million to 41 businesses to improve their accessibility. Under the program, Nova Scotia businesses can apply for grants to make improvements, including removing barriers.

CarShare Atlantic also received a $15,000 grant from the Department of Community Services.

Vienneau encouraged other businesses to apply for the grants.

"I think it's really wonderful when a company does something like this on their own, without being compelled to do it by legislation," he said.

"That's where the evolution happens."

The province has a goal of making Nova Scotia fully accessible by 2030, said Communities, Culture and Heritage Minister Leo Glavine.

"It takes businesses, community and government of all levels coming together to make changes that will help Nova Scotians and send us in a very different direction," he said.

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