Nova Scotia·NewLike the tidal waters of the Bay of Fundy that batter the Chignecto Isthmus, the timeline for upgrading dikes on that thin strip of land is murky.Protecting the low-lying connector between N.S., N.B. pegged at $650MTaryn Grant · CBC News · Posted: Sep 28, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoThe Chignecto Isthmus is the strip of land that connects New Brunswick and mainland Nova Scotia. It’s an integral trade corridor and is vulnerable to flooding from the effects of climate change. (Craig Paisley/CBC)Like the tidal waters of the Bay of Fundy that batter the Chignecto Isthmus, the timeline for upgrading dikes on that thin strip of land is murky.The PC government has long said it would be a 10-year project, but Public Works Minister Fred Tilley is now unable to say when the clock started or when the project might be completed.”I don’t know what year we’re in now,” he told reporters Friday, referring to the 10-year goal.Tilley said he’s hesitant to give a deadline because surprises could come up during environmental assessments and the permitting process.”There could be things that are discovered that are outside of the control of the project,” he said.He pointed to the much-delayed Avon River overpass as an example of how infrastructure projects can get tied up in the regulatory process.Nova Scotia Public Works Minister Fred Tilley says surprises could come up during the isthmus project, making it hard to give a timeline. (Dan Jardine/CBC)The low-lying isthmus connects Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and is vulnerable to catastrophic flooding as sea levels rise and the frequency of severe storms increases as a result of climate change.The isthmus is protected against the harsh Bay of Fundy tides by a network of dikes and aboiteau, some of which are centuries old.The government has not released a detailed plan for how it will bolster that protection, but experts have recommended raising existing dikes or building new ones, among other options.Independent MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin grilled Tilley about the isthmus in question period Friday and said she found his responses to be “cavalier.””It made me very concerned that he either doesn’t understand the significance of the Chignecto Isthmus project or doesn’t seem to think it’s a priority,” she told reporters afterwards.Tilley disputed that.”We understand the importance of the isthmus,” he said. “There’s billions of dollars that cross the isthmus on an annual basis. It’s an important trade corridor for all of Canada.”Local contractors want in, MLA saysSmith-McCrossin represents Cumberland North, which includes part of the isthmus and communities that would be directly impacted by flooding of it.Cumberland North Independent MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin says Nova Scotians need to know how long the isthmus project will take. (Michael Gorman/CBC)She said she wants more transparency, not just around the timeline, but also around government spending.The province contracted a $2-million berm project in the area last year. Smith-McCrossin said local contractors were upset it didn’t go out to tender.”Two million dollars may not be a lot in some areas, but for our local construction contractors, they wanted to have an opportunity to bid on that,” she said.”There’s gonna be a lot of money spent there, and we should, taxpayers deserve to know who’s getting that money.”Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ottawa have committed to split the estimated $650-million cost — half paid by Ottawa and a quarter by each of the provinces.ABOUT THE AUTHORTaryn Grant covers daily news for CBC Nova Scotia, with a particular interest in housing and homelessness, education, and health care. You can email her with tips and feedback at taryn.grant@cbc.ca
Public Works minister says he can’t say when Chignecto Isthmus project will be completed
