A meeting is taking place tonight of wardens, mayors and CAOs from across Nova Scotia to discuss the provincial government’s coastal protection plan. At last night’s regular monthly meeting of Port Hawkesbury Town Council, it was agreed that Deputy Mayor Mark MacIver will participate in the Zoom meeting that will be hosted by the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities.
Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton said any issues that arise from the meeting can be discussed at council’s committee-of-the whole session on March 19 and she would like to see the town’s planning advisory committee weigh in with their input. Although the impact would be different in Port Hawkesbury than a regional or rural municipality, the mayor added concerns that the enforcement of new bylaws and zoning regulations will be downloaded.
In 2019, the legislature passed the Coastal Protection Act which proposed restrictions on coastal property owners, but the act was not officially proclaimed. Then on February 26, the province released “The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline,” which outlined 15 actions and a new navigator service to help coastal property owners understand potential risks and hazards.
The province said more than $3 million in funding from their climate plan will support some of the actions in the coastline plan, including $1.6 million in funding for municipal flood-line maps. The province said part of the funding will be used to hold adaptation workshops for municipal leaders in communities across the province.