Cardigan MP Kent MacDonald said the reconstruction work on Red Head Harbour, near Morell, will help the wharf withstand future storms. While the work appears to have been included in Ottawa’s budget this year, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans would not clarify how much the work will cost, how much is budgeted for the work, nor when it is expected to be completed. Photo by Stu Neatby /The GuardianArticle contentMORELL, P.E.I. — Work will continue on the reconstruction of Red Head Harbour, a fishing hub near Morell that was damaged during the 2022 Fiona storm, but few details have been made public about when the harbour will be rebuilt nor how much it will cost taxpayers.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentOn Aug. 11, federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced Ottawa will provide funding for the reconstruction of the western wharf structure of Red Head Harbour. The harbour was so badly damaged in 2022’s post-Tropical Storm Fiona that only 25 per cent of the wharf was initially useable. That was nearly four years ago.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentOn Tuesday, Thompson announced that a second phase of the reconstruction of the harbour will see an influx of funds from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) small craft harbours project.Article content Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson said Ottawa’s funding for the reconstruction of the Red Head Harbour is multi-year. However, her department declined to provide The Guardian on how much is budgeted for the work, nor about when the work is expected to be completed. Stu NeatbyArticle contentMonths before tender issuedArticle contentHowever, despite repeated questions, DFO representatives declined to provide The Guardian with information on how much Ottawa has been budgeted for the reconstruction project.Article contentSimilarly, details on how long the work will take were not provided. While one official told The Guardian DFO plans to issue a public tender in spring of 2027, federal officials declined to provide clarity on why the tender will still take between 8 and 10 more months before it is issued.Article content“Since a competitive tender process has not yet been completed, final project costs, the successful contractor and a construction completion date have not yet been determined,” read an emailed statement provided to The Guardian by Ira Khedkar, press secretary for the fisheries minister.Article contentArticle content“Specific project costs will be available following the completion of the procurement process and contract award.”Article contentArticle contentAs for why the tender for the long-awaited work will not be issued before spring, Khedkar did not answer this question.Article contentRock wall breakwater completedArticle contentA first phase of the Red Head Harbour project, which involved the construction of a rock wall breakwater, has already been completed at a cost of $3.2 million.Article content“This is a multi-year investment, and it is intended to build to last. The harvesters and growers working out of Red Head today will use it, and so will the ones coming behind them,” Thompson told reporters at an announcement at the Morell harbour on Aug. 11.Article contentThompson was joined by Cardigan MP Kent MacDonald, who said the work is intended to allow the wharf to withstand future storms.Article content“When we strengthen wharfs and breakwaters, and other harbor infrastructure to better withstand waves and storm surges, rise in sea levels, and severe weather, we’re protecting much more than infrastructure. We’re protecting people, we’re protecting the livelihoods, and we’re building strong communities,” said MacDonald.
Fisheries minister commits to rebuild P.E.I.’s Red Head Harbour but DFO declines to provide details on cost, timeline
