NR-HQ-01-62E

Thibault Announces Federal Investment of $3 Million for Projects at Small Craft Harbours in Nova Scotia

June 18, 2001

SHELBURNE – The Honourable Robert Thibault, Minister to the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Member of Parliament for the constituency of West Nova, announced today on behalf of the Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, that the Government of Canada will invest $3 million in harbour improvements at several Nova Scotia fishing harbours.

"The $3 million funding for these projects demonstrate the government’s commitment to maintain a system of safe harbour facilities for Nova Scotia," said Mr. Thibault. "With the completion of these projects, a safer working environment for area fishermen and the community will be provided."

A major development is planned for the harbours of Port Latour and Upper Port Latour, which are both overcrowded and in very poor condition. The first phase of the project, which will begin shortly, will involve the completion of environmental and engineering assessments and design. The development project is expected to include safety repairs of the existing facilities, the construction of marginal wharves at both sites, some dredging as well as the provision of adequate launching and groundout facilities. Once completed, this project will provide fishers from Port Latour, Upper Port Latour and nearby Smithsville with safe and efficient harbour facilities. On-site work should begin in June of 2002.

At Voglers Cove West, a launching ramp will be constructed. With this new facility, the fishers will be provided with much improved services for their harbour.

At West Head, a rubblemound breakwater will be constructed to replace the existing wavebreaks in order to provide safe berthing conditions in the harbour basin during strong northerly storms. In addition, the area behind the breakwater will be dredged to increase the overall berthing space within the harbour with most of the dredge spoils being incorporated in the breakwater.

Work at Voglers Cove West and West Head will begin during the summer months and should be completed by the fall of 2001 prior to the start of the lobster fishing season.

The final phase of a larger dredging project that began a few years ago at Shag Harbour will be undertaken in the summer. The dredged channel leading to and from the harbour will provide fishers with a safe navigating corridor for their daily fishing trips.

Work in progress at Clarks Harbour will continue this year. This includes wharf repairs, the construction and installation of floating docks, the removal of a finger pier and the construction of a marginal wharf. The majority of this work will be completed prior to the start of the fall fishing season, with final completion of the entire project in the spring of 2002.

These projects will be carried out by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, as part of its Small Craft Harbours program, in cooperation with the harbour authorities, which manage and operate the facilities for local users. Such close cooperation with clients allows the federal government to continue to provide an operable system of harbours and facilities throughout Canada in support of commercial fishers.