NOTE: Updated Wednesday, February 15, 2023 to reflect a decision by Tantramar council.
The province of New Brunswick says it has not committed to replacing an aboiteau that would play a key role in draining a multi-million floodwater system slated to be completed in Sackville by the end of this year.
The engineer heading up the final phase of the Lorne Street Floodwater Mitigation project was in Sackville town hall on Monday to give Tantramar council an overview of the project.
At their meeting on Tuesday, Council awarded a contract to Beale and Inch Construction worth just over $5 million to complete the project, which involves digging a third retention pond on the far side of Charles Street, and channeling water under roads and the CN rail line out to the Tantramar River. That’s where the water would flow out through an aboiteau owned by the province, which lets fresh water flow out into the river, but blocks tidal water from flowing in.
Unlike the last time he appeared before council, project lead Pierre Plourde of Englobe Engineering seemed confident that the replacement of the aboiteau was not a dealbreaker for the project to work.
“Our stormwater strategy is somewhat dependent on that aboiteau, but not entirely,” Plourde told council Monday. “What will happen when the aboiteau is upgraded in the future, it will allow the water to move faster within the system. Right now, we’re a little bit restricted by that aboiteau, but we can still go full force with the strategy.”
The town had hoped the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI) would install a larger aboiteau at a lower elevation which would help the water drain more quickly from the retention pond system. Plourde said the former minister of DTI, Jill Green, had toured the site in the summer. “It was a really good meeting,” recounted Plourde. “They understand that something needs to be done. We just don’t have a timeframe yet from them.”
In an email response to CHMA on Monday, DTI communications staff said they are aware of the Tantramar proposal, but have made “no commitment at this time.”
Town engineer Jon Eppell said on Monday that while a bigger and lower elevation aboiteau would be desirable, it’s not the end of the world if it does not happen. Eppell said the new flood control system will still work with the old aboiteau, which might only pose a problem in the event of two massive storms, back to back.
In Plourde’s presentation Monday, he harkened back to the first planning years of the project, recalling the flooding events that inspired the plan. “The flood water was basically eight inches below the stop sign on the road,” said Plourde, referring to the vicinity of Lorne Street and St. James. Plourde said the chosen strategy was to create retention ponds. “When it rains, we need to be able to take some of the water and store it in stormwater retention ponds, just to make sure that the when the storm goes away, and the tide goes down, we’re able to push that water back to Tantramar river,” said Plourde.
Pedestrian bridge, trees removed to meet budget
Jon Eppell also took some time Monday to explain recommended changes to the scope of the work for phase III of the stormwater project, to help it fit Tantramar’s approved budget.
Although Beale and Inch’s bid was the lowest, it still came in about $500,000 over what the former town of Sackville had approved. In order to get the price down, Eppell is recommending that Tantramar council approve the project without some components. Two pedestrian bridges to connect the circular pathway around the pond will be excluded, as will a number of trees and shrubs that were to be planted on the grounds. Other elements have also been excluded, but none that will directly impact the stormwater management function of the project, says Eppell. Beale and Inch will also be permitted to begin the project later than planned, waiting until early summer, when the ground has had a chance to dry out. Those combined changes, “brought us back within budget,” Eppell told council. “We are headed down the path of recommending that we proceed on the basis of the reduced scope, keeping in mind that we can add that in later if funding can be found.”
Project approved with one nay vote
At their meeting on Tuesday, Tantramar council awarded the $5 million tender to Beale and Inch, with just one councillor voting against the move. Councillor Bruce Phinney said he didn’t believe the project would be necessary once the Chignecto Isthmus project is completed. The Isthmus project aims to protect the transportation corridor between Sackville and Amherst from storm surges and rising sea levels.
At Monday’s meeting Phinney asked Plourde about the Isthmus project, and whether it would make the Lorne Street project redundant. In response, Plourde told council that the matter was discussed when the engineers met with DTI. “According to DTI, the aboiteau that we’re [talking about] upgrading right now has not been considered in that study. The inland flooding that we’re looking after here is not the same as the the other project. So what we’ve been told is that no, the aboiteau were not considered on the other study. And in order to resolve this, we need to treat inland water, which is a bit different than what they’re trying to do.”
Mayor Andrew Black also noted on Monday that predictions are placing the Isthmus project at least ten years out in terms of construction. A study completed in 2021 was released last year, but no other formal announcements have come regarding the project since.
In addition to his concern over possible redundancy vis-a-vis the Isthmus project, Phinney also expressed concern about the lack of committment from the province on replacing the aboiteau. “If we haven’t got a commitment from the provincial government to change the aboiteau, then I think it’s a waste of money,” said Phinney.
Councillor Barry Hicks supported the tender award along with the rest of council, but also highlighted the concern over the provincial aboiteau. “It’s very important that we lobby the provincial government to get that aboiteau done,” said Hicks. “We’ll do this project but that aboiteau is very important to have upsized, because it’s reducing our flow there, even with this pond, it’s still reduced flow.”
Cost shared project, with municipal money coming from Sackville reserves
Though Tantramar council is approving construction, the lion’s share of the cost for Phase III of the Lorne Street project will be covered by provincial and federal funding. The federal and provincial governments have contributed a little over $4 million towards the project, and the town will be responsible for a little under $1.5 million. That budget covers the work approved Tuesday, as well as previously approved work to convert the Pickard Quarry to another stormwater retention pond. According to corporate compliance director Michael Beal, Tantramar’s share of the cost would come from the $3.5 million capital reserve fund which Sackville has built up over time.
