This article was updated at approximately 9 p.m. on April 14, 2023, to include a comment from the Government of Nova Scotia.
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia say they’re negotiating with Ottawa over the financing of a multi-million dollar infrastructure project that would protect the Chignecto Isthmus from flooding.
The Chignecto Isthmus is the narrow strip of land that connects the two provinces.
Upgrades could cost up to $300 million, according to a study published last year. The feds have offered to pay half that amount, but both provinces say talks are still ongoing about how the project should be financed.
And New Brunswick’s Minister of Infrastructure Jeff Carr reportedly stated last week the $150 million offer isn’t enough.
Mayor David Kogon of Amherst, N.S., says the provinces should quit haggling and speed up the process before it’s too late. Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black has also called for the provincial government to take swifter action.
Listen to the report from CHMA:
The dikes were built in the 1600s by Acadian settlers to hold back floodwater from the Bay of Fundy. Officials from both provinces say the current height of the dikes is no longer sufficient because of the effects of climate change.
CHMA spoke to the Mayor of Amherst this week after he met with the Daniel Allain, New Brunswick’s Minister of Local Government.
Kogon said he told the minister about the risk of an extreme weather event like the Saxby Gale of 1869, when a massive storm coincided with a full moon and a high tide.
Following the publication of this article, a spokesperson for the Government of Nova Scotia provided this emailed statement:
“We understand the importance of this issue. We continue to work with our partners in New Brunswick and Ottawa to determine the best possible solution to protect this crucial trade corridor for many years to come. The important thing to understand about this issue is the magnitude and scope of the solution. It is going to take hundreds of millions of dollars to do this and we need to be creative. Discussions remain ongoing.”
CHMA has also reached out the Government of New Brunswick for comment.
