Nova Scotia Government Shows Contempt for the Democratic Process and Scraps the Coastal Protection Act

In a move that could have been predicted by the most cynical among us, the Nova Scotia government has scrapped the Coastal Protection Act, which was passed in 2019 with all-party support, but was never proclaimed.

The legislation, if it had been proclaimed, would have resulted in regulations specifically focused on restricting development in places where it would put properties at risk from coastal erosion, sea level rise and coastal flooding in the coming decades. But the regulations would have also been aimed at restricting development where it would damage valuable coastal ecosystems.

The Quaking Swamp Journal reported here and here, that while the five-year delay to proclaim the Act did raise alarm bells, there was a sense that the overwhelming public support for regulations around coastal development would win the day.

But today’s announcement by the government has dashed any hopes of that happening. Instead of legislation, it has announced it has a “plan” that sets out 15 actions for property owners, municipalities and the Province, all of which are voluntary.

Nova Scotia Environment Minister Tim Halman (left) and Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr take questions from reporters on Monday. [Communications NS]

The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline—what the government refers to as a plan to “empower coastal property owners to make informed decisions,” seems to provide guidance to property owners about how to safeguard their property from coastal erosion — including how to “embrace” coastal friendly practices. Here’s what the section on “armouring” the coastline (i.e building walls) has to say about the practice:

Protecting or “hardening” the shoreline with concrete seawalls or rock armouring has been widely practiced in the past but it comes with drawbacks. By interrupting the natural movement of material along the coastline, armoured shorelines can actually cause faster erosion of beaches and along neighboring coastlines. Hardening measures also disrupt natural ecosystems, limit access to the coast, and tend to be expensive to install. Maintenance is also a consideration. One big storm can still overwhelm these kinds of structures, which become costly to repair. The drawbacks of hardening the shoreline mean it is better to first consider other ways to avoid harm and reduce impacts.

In other words, you’re allowed to do it, even if it does destroy the beach, and it’s totally up to you.

The “plan” also provides a Coastal Hazard Map, that “shows what extreme water levels could look like along the province’s coast, where impacts will be felt more acutely. An extreme water level includes a sea level rise scenario, storm surge, and high tide.” The mapping apparently shows the worst-case scenario for coastal properties in the year 2100 based on current sea-level projections and there appears to be a function to locate land parcels, but I have not yet tried to see if it works, and highly doubt that it’s very user friendly.

I nearly chucked my biscuits when I read this: “Climate change is a global issue, requiring global action. In Nova Scotia, we are proud to be a leader in climate change action. This Coastal Hazard Map is a new tool you can use to make informed decisions and support action.”

Is anyone else getting extremely tired of these hollow promises of environmental redemption?

Clearly this current government isn’t beholden to the public that elected it, but instead is showing its allegiance to developers and wealthy landowners that don’t want to be restricted by rules and red tape when it comes to building their dream homes on the coast or altering coastal properties.

Contempt for democracy seems to come pretty easily to Minister Halman, who also recently downgraded the interpretation of Wetlands of Special Significance — functionally delisting thousands of hectares in the province. For more at this story please go here.