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The provincial governments of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and the federal government announced a $650-million investment to protect the Chignecto Isthmus, which is the land bridge that connects the two provinces. The agreement includes $325 million of federal funding invested through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. The remaining $325 million will be cost-shared between the provinces. “This is a necessary partnership with the federal government and our neighbours in Nova Scotia to protect this critical land corridor,” said New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt. “This announcement provides much-needed certainty and security for the people living in the region and presents us with a major project and economic opportunity for New Brunswick business. However, this is only the first step in implementing a long-term climate mitigation solution for the Chignecto Isthmus.” The existing dike system and aboiteaux were installed in the late 1600s. Today, a significant amount of goods and services pass through the area. “Protecting Nova Scotia’s main connection to the rest of Canada has never been more important as we take action to increase trade between provinces,” said Nova Scotia Public Works Minister Fred Tilley. “That’s why we are taking a Team Canada approach. We’re putting the interests of our country first and showing leadership as we unlock our potential.” The project will include raising the height of the dike system to mitigate the risk of flooding by sea water. There will be two major components to the project: a minimum of 13 kilometres of dike system, and three to five large aboiteaux and the replacement or addition of new small aboiteaux. Aboiteaux are culverts with gates that stop sea water from flowing inland past the dikes while allowing water behind the dikes to flow out. “Protecting the Chignecto Isthmus is a priority for the federal government as this corridor plays a crucial role in the economy of our region. This project will create good jobs, protect key supply chains, and make communities on both sides of the New Brunswick-Nova Scotia border stronger and more resilient for generations to come,” said Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister, and MP for Beauséjour. The entire project is expected to take about 10 years to complete, with the preliminary engineering studies, design work and land acquisition occurring during the first half of that period and most of the construction taking place during the last half. The dykes and aboiteaux protecting the Chignecto Isthmus were originally installed in the late 1600s. The dykeland system protects communities, infrastructure and natural resources from rising sea levels in the Bay of Fundy. More than $100 million per day, or $35 billion a year, in trade crosses the isthmus on the Trans-Canada Highway and CN Rail lines. The isthmus also houses windmills, major power transmission lines, natural gas lines and telecommunications lines. |
