PICTOU, N.S. —The Nova Scotia and federal governments are investing $60.3 million in major improvement projects at 48 harbours across Nova Scotia over the next two years to provide a safer and more efficient working environment for local fishermen and harbour users.
Of this funding, $20 million will be allocated to harbour improvement projects at 17 harbours in Pictou County, Kings County, Guysborough County and across Cape Breton.
The investment will support the following harbour projects:
— Bay St. Lawrence – construction of new steel sheet pilings to replace the deteriorated training wall on the east side of the harbour.
— Big Bras d’Or – replacing a deteriorated timber deck.
— Canso – constructing an extension to the wharf.
— Caribou Ferry – completing the construction of a breakwater that was started last year.
— Chéticamp (La Digue) – completing the construction of a breakwater that was started last year and repairing a slipway.
— Dingwall – dredging the channel and basin.
— Dover (Little Dover) – replacing a deteriorated wharf with a new one.
— Finlay Point – replacing a deteriorated wharf with a new one.
— Glace Bay – replacing a deteriorated wharf with a new one.
— Grand Étang – dredging the basin.
— Halls Harbour – replacing a deteriorated wharf with a new one.
— Judique (Baxter’s Cove) – dredging of the basin and channel.
— Larry’s River – reconstruction of the outer section of a wharf.
— Little Harbour (L’Ardoise) – dredging of the basin and channel.
— Little River (Victoria County) – replacing a deteriorated wharf with a new one.
— Murphy’s Pond – replacing the existing breakwater, dredging the basin and installing floating wharves.
— Petit-de-Grat – dredging the channel and basin.
One example of the work being done is at the Caribou Ferry Harbour, which accommodates 45 home port and 20 transient commercial fishing vessels.
"The Caribou Ferry Harbour Authority has been working with the Department for many years undertaking the design work for this project," said David MacCarthy, president of the Caribou Ferry Harbour Authority in a statement.
"The Harbour Authority is very pleased the project has finally come to realization. The completion of the project will provide much better protection and safety for all of the harbour users at Caribou."
The primary species landed at Caribou Ferry are herring, lobster, rock crab and scallops.
Landings in 2013 represented an estimated value of more than $4 million.
"It will also provide much more room for the homeport fleet as well as the transient vessels that utilize the harbor," said MacCarthy.
"It will also provide additional room for fish buyers to safely operate. The general public will also benefit by a safer working harbour. "
Nearly 90 per cent of all commercial fish harvesters in Canada use small craft harbour facilities, and their annual production represents approximately $1.6 billion.
Last fall, the federal government announced an additional investment of $5.8 billion over the next two years to build and renew infrastructure across the country to support Canadian heritage, First Nations education, defence, borders, research, small craft harbours, transportation and search and rescue.
As part of this funding, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard received a total of approximately $551 million, $288 million of which is being used for harbour improvements at small craft harbours.
Follow @DCN_Canada on Twitter for more construction industry updates.
Visit www.dcnonl.com for more industry stories, news and videos.
Recent Comments
comments for this post are closed