Federal Minister of Rural Economic Development Bernadette Jordan and federal Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Lloyd Hines announced funding for two projects in Nova Scotia that will reduce the impact of coastal flooding along the Bay of Fundy and Minas Basin.
“The Bay of Fundy and Minas Basin are ecologically rich marine environments that have a profound effect on the communities, residents, and businesses along their shores,” Jordan said. “These projects will protect over 60 Nova Scotia communities from coastal flooding caused by severe storms, rising sea levels, and other environmental events. By investing in infrastructure that protects communities now, we are helping build for the future.”
These projects will improve over 64 kilometers of dyke systems and causeways in over 60 towns and communities on the western coast of Nova Scotia and along Highway 101. Improvements will provide flood protection for tens of thousands of residents and businesses, numerous wineries, historical and world heritage sites, Indigenous communities, and over 20,000 hectares of farmland. Furthermore, these projects will mitigate damage to the region’s ecosystems and municipal infrastructure caused by rising tides and storm surge events.
“I’m pleased to work with our federal partners to upgrade our aging fundy dykeland system through this significant investment,” said Keith Colwell, minister of agriculture in Nova Scotia. “These improvements to our dykeland system will help provide protection against the impacts of climate change and will protect our national heritage sites, our Indigenous and Acadian cultural sites, our municipal and provincial infrastructure, as well as our agricultural lands.”
The Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia are each contributing over $56.9 million to these projects. Canada’s contribution is made through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.
