Working Co-operatively to Preserve the Environment of Halifax Harbour

Dartmouth, N.S. - Preserving the Environment of Halifax Harbour was the theme of a workshop held in Halifax this week. This workshop, the second in a series, was co-sponsored by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Halifax Harbour Solutions Project, Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).

We are excited to be part of such an important ongoing initiative, said Neil A. Bellefontaine, Regional Director-General, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes Region. This workshop was an excellent opportunity for key stakeholders to share knowledge and concerns, and to make concrete recommendations about the environment of Halifax Harbour.

The purpose of the workshop was to review the state of the environmental knowledge of Halifax Harbour, identify information gaps in light of future developments and identify desirable actions for the preservation and restoration of fish and wildlife habitats and aesthetic values of Halifax Harbour.

This workshop looked toward the future. We are working to restore the natural habitat of the Halifax Harbour. We want to bring our harbour back to life for the enjoyment of everyone, said Maurice Lloyd, Project Manager, Halifax Harbour Solutions project, Halifax Regional Municipality.

Participants in the workshop included representatives from academia, the private sector, public interest groups, and three levels of government. The participants heard presentations from key experts with knowledge relating to Halifax Harbour and possible development projects of the future. Key speakers included representatives from Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada, the Nova Scotia Museum of Science and the Nova Scotia College of Arts and Design, as well as DFO and HRM.

Participants also worked in groups where they discussed realistic recommendations aimed at identifying gaps in scientific knowledge, methods of abating contamination source, means of preserving existing habitat, and ways of enhancing aesthetic and other values of Halifax Harbour. These recommendations, along with all other proceedings of the workshop, will be published in a report titled Preserving the Environment of Halifax Harbour, Workshop #2, and made available to the public in May.

The first workshop, held exactly one year ago, was designed to bring together primary stakeholders and regulatory groups to discuss and determine regulatory overlaps and roles, and to gage the level of interest in collaboration of key stakeholders. This first workshop was an enormous success. It also resulted in a clarification of roles among regulatory agencies. The interest and enthusiasm shown among stakeholders clearly indicated that there is a strong interest by all of them to work together on this issue. A report outlining all the proceedings of the first workshop is available to the public.

To obtain a copy of the report of the proceedings of the first (now available) or second workshop (available in May) please contact André Ducharme, Consultant and Workshop Co-ordinator at (902) 443-3826.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Chastity Dooley
Communications Advisor
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Maritimes Region
(902) 426-6019

Maurice Lloyd
Project Manager
Halifax Harbour Solutions Project
Halifax Regional Municipality
(902) 490-4549