Improvements on the Way at Nova Scotia Harbors

The Government of Canada is about to invest more than $10 million over the next two years in harbor improvement projects at seven Nova Scotia harbors that will provide a safer and more efficient working environment for local fishermen and harbor users.

The announcement was made by the Honorable Peter MacKay, Regional Minister for Nova Scotia, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Member of Parliament for Central Nova, on behalf of the Honorable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on April 18th 2015.

This investment will support harbor projects in the counties of Antigonish, Guysborough and Halifax:

• Arisaig – replacing a deteriorating wharf with a new structure;
• Ballantyne’s Cove – replacing a barricaded wharf with a new structure complete with a new electrical system and dredging of the basin;
• Havre Boucher – constructing a new wharf, dredging to expand the basin area, constructing a service area, and installing floating wharves and a new electrical system;
• Marie Joseph – constructing a wharf extension complete with the electrical services;
• Owls Head – replacing a deteriorated wharf with a new structure and removing the remnants of an old breakwater;
• Port Bickerton East – completing work that started last year which consists of constructing two service areas and a slipway, installing floating wharves, and dredging;
• Sonora – replacing a deteriorated wharf with a new structure and constructing a launching ramp to improve harbor access.

This funding is part of the Government of Canada’s total investment of approximately $60.3 million in major improvement projects at approximately 48 harbors and various repair projects at several other harbors in Nova Scotia over the next two years.

Since 2006, the Government of Canada has provided an unprecedented level of funding to support investments in public infrastructure across the country. Last fall, Prime Minister Harper announced an additional investment of $5.8 billion over the next two years to build and renew infrastructure across the country to support Canadian heritage, $288 million of which is being used for harbor improvements at small craft harbors.