The Chignecto Isthmus—the narrow strip of land connecting Nova Scotia to New Brunswick—is getting a $650-million upgrade to protect it from rising seas and powerful storm surges.
After years of advocacy and planning, work towards saving this channel began about 10 years ago, and on March 20, the federal government announced that it will fund half the project. And the Nova Scotian and New Brunswick governments will split the remainder.
The project will raise and reinforce the region’s historic dykeland system, built by Acadian settlers in the late 1600s. The dykes and aboiteaux—one-way gates that let freshwater drain out while blocking seawater—have long protected farmland and communities. Today, they also shelter cultural sites, a wind farm, roads, homes, and key infrastructure.
Protecting the Chignecto Isthmus is a priority for Ottawa because of its economic importance to the region, said Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc in a news release. The project will create jobs, secure key supply chains, and help strengthen communities on both sides of the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia border for years to come.
Kevin Bekkers, Nova Scotia’s lead on the project and the director of strategic initiatives with Nova Scotia Public Works, says the isthmus remains essential to Canada’s economy.
“The Chignecto Isthmus is the main connector of Nova Scotia and North America,” he says. “Any trade that’s passing through that area has to travel along that corridor. A lot of the containers that arrive in Halifax by boat and are put on a rail system end up going through the Isthmus.”
Bekkers says that if the protective system fails, the effects could be immediate and widespread.
The project is expected to take 10 years to complete. For now, efforts are focused on environmental studies. Field teams have already begun gathering information on local ecosystems and at-risk species. Residents may see specialists on ground over the next two years.
“We’ve been working on early data collection,” says Bekkers. “Gathering environmental information to understand the flora and fauna, the landscape, and fish species that exist along the watercourses.”
Construction could begin as early as 2027, pending approvals. But despite the urgency, he says the timeline won’t be rushed.
With the area being sensitive, Bekkers and his team want to make sure they have their design solutions correct before moving into construction. “I wouldn’t say we’re delaying the start of construction—it’s working within due diligence to ensure we have a proper design,” he says.
There is some risk that a major storm could hit during the construction window. But, with the existing infrastructure that is there, and having a good contingency plan in place, Bekkers is confident they will be ok.
After more than a decade working on the project, he said seeing it move forward feels personal.
Still, Bekkers acknowledges the possibility of unexpected challenges once boots hit the ground.
“You know, it’s hard to anticipate some of the things that we’re going to find until we actually get out there and do the data collection.”
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