SACKVILLE, NB, March 20, 2025 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are collectively moving forward to protect the Chignecto Isthmus from the increasingly destructive impacts of climate change. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia commit to paying $162.5 million each for a total of $325 million to support the project (valued at $650 million). This is a major step towards ensuring the security of this important link.
This was announced by Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Minister Kody Blois, Premier Susan Holt, and Minister Fred Tilley.
The dykeland system in the Chignecto Isthmus between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will be raised to decrease the risk of flooding, protecting agriculture in the region and surrounding communities, including Sackville, New Brunswick and Amherst, Nova Scotia, against sea level rise and storm surges.
The isthmus is also a transportation corridor including the Trans Canada Highway and the Canadian National Railway, connecting New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. An estimated $100 million of goods and services crosses the corridor each day. The corridor also contains 138 kV and 345 kV of electrical transmission lines, and fibre-optical cables, both of which are essential to providing electricity and telecommunication capabilities within and across communities.
A network of dykes and aboiteaux that was originally installed in the late 1600s currently protects assets in the region from rising sea levels and storm surges, including a nearby wind farm, cultural sites, a sewage treatment plant, agricultural croplands, and private properties with buildings, wells, and septic systems. Increasing sea level rise and coastal sinking are forecasted to threaten the current dykes — along with the corridor infrastructure and communities they protect — before 2100.
The project will include raising the height of the existing dyke system to mitigate the risk of the Chignecto Isthmus being flooded with sea water. The project will have two major components: a minimum of 13 km of dyke 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 dykes while allowing water behind the dykes to flow out.
The entire project is expected to take approximately 10 years to complete with the preliminary engineering studies, design, and land acquisition occurring during the first half of the period and most of the construction occurring during the last half.
Quotes
"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."
The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister and President of the King's Privy Council, and Member of Parliament for Beauséjour
"The Chignecto Isthmus is more than just a roadway – it's an essential trade corridor for our country with roughly $100 million worth of goods and services crossing it every single day. Our region is no stranger to the effects of climate change and the devastating impacts that can come from severe weather and flooding. We need to act now and this $650 million partnership between our government and the provinces is proof that we're doing just that."
The Honourable Kody Blois, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Rural Economic Development, and Member of Parliament for Kings–Hants
"This is a necessary partnership with the federal government and our neighbours in Nova Scotia to protect this critical land corridor. 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 Honourable Susan Holt, Premier of New Brunswick
"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. 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 Honourable Fred Tilley, Nova Scotia Minister of Public Works
Quick Facts
- The federal government is investing up to $325 million in this project through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), while the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia governments together are responsible for the remaining $325 million.
- Since 2018, the federal government has committed over $3.74 billion to the DMAF.
- This funding will support projects that include new construction of public infrastructure or the modification or reinforcement of existing public infrastructure that help communities withstand natural disasters and climate-related risks.
- Eligible recipients include municipalities, local governments, provinces and territories, public sector bodies, Indigenous organizations, not-for-profit, and for-profit organizations in partnership with other eligible applicants outside the private sector. Projects must have a minimum of $1 million in total eligible costs to be considered eligible.
- On November 24th, 2022, the federal government released Canada's National Adaptation Strategy: Building Resilient Communities and a Strong Economy. It commits $1.6 billion in new federal funding to help address both immediate and future climate risks to Canadian communities.
- As part of the Adaptation Action Plan, released alongside the National Adaptation Strategy, the DMAF received an additional $489.1 million in funding.
- As part of the National Adaptation Strategy and Government of Canada Adaptation Action Plan, the federal government has launched the Climate Toolkit for Housing and Infrastructure (CTHI) initiative.
- The CTHI will support the development of integrated climate-related tools, resources and services for communities through:
- Climate Help Desk to provide direct support to address infrastructure and climate-related inquiries;
- Roster of Climate and Infrastructure Experts to provide access to expert advice to strengthen climate-related considerations of public infrastructure and housing projects; and
- Climate Tools and Resources that are widely available and accessible through the ClimateInsight.ca Platform.
- The funding announced today builds on the federal government's work through the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create well-paying jobs and strengthen local economies.
- Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups and environmental assessment obligations.
- Federal funding is conditional on the signing of the contribution agreement.
Associated Links
Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/dmaf-faac/index-eng.html
Canada's National Adaptation Strategy
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/national-adaptation-strategy.html
Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
Climate Toolkit for Housing and Infrastructure
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/climate-toolkit-trousse-climat/index-eng.html
Housing and Infrastructure Project Map https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/gmap-gcarte/index-eng.html
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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Sofia Ouslis, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]; Jason Hoyt, Director of Communications, Transportation and Infrastructure, [email protected]; Toby Koffman, Communications Director, Nova Scotia Department of Public Works, 902-483-5847, [email protected]
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