Surfing is about to reach a historic milestone in Nova Scotia.

The province’s Department of Health Promotion and Protection (HPP) has deemed the Surfing Association of Nova Scotia (SANS) eligible for government funding.

The decision was based on an application submitted by SANS under the HPP’s Recreation and Physical Activity grant program.

Having been deemed eligible, SANS will now apply for actual funding. If successful, SANS will receive core funding over the next four years.

Once allotted, funding will be used by SANS to fulfill goals outlined in its strategic plan. The goals include helping build the province’s surf community, supporting recreational and amateur surfing and promoting coastal protection.

“Basically what this funding would allow us to do is put the rad back in radical,” said SANS Co-President Graham Bondt.

With the eligibility decision, SANS has passed the most difficult phase of a long, complex application process that began more than two years ago.

In addition to HPP, SANS has been approved for full membership in Sport Nova Scotia, a non-profit association comprised of provincial sport governing bodies.

As a member of Sport Nova Scotia, SANS will have access to support services, such as fund-raising, planing and marketing expertise, which it can drawn on to help achieve its strategic goals.

Over the next few weeks, SANS will be surveying its members to determine their experience with the association and what benefits they would like the association to provide.

To participate in the survey, please click here.