HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s minister of public works says it will be “several years” until construction begins to protect a low-lying strip of land that links the province to New Brunswick.
Fred Tilley told reporters after a cabinet meeting the province is conducting pre-engineering work and holding consultations with New Brunswick for upgrades to the Chignecto Isthmus.
The eventual goal is to upgrade 35 kilometres of dikes to better protect rail, road and communication lines during powerful storms.
However, the cabinet minister says there’s “a lot of work” that’s needed before construction begins.
He says the $650-million project being financed jointly by the two provinces and the federal government is expected to take 10 years.
Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal recently rejected the province’s request for an opinion on whether Ottawa should pay for the whole project. The federal government has agreed to pay half the cost.
The Nova Scotia government’s question was imprecise and had political undertones, making it “inappropriate to answer,” the Court of Appeal said.
Tilley said the province is still pondering its legal options, including a potential appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
During recent court hearings, lawyers for Nova Scotia said the land bridge is increasingly threatened by flooding caused by fierce and frequent storms and rising sea levels.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2025.
