Question Period Note: Chignecto Isthmus

What is the Federal Government doing to protect the Chignecto Isthmus?

• The Government of Canada is committed to increasing the resilience of communities and reducing the impacts of natural disasters. We understand the importance of the Chignecto Isthmus to both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as well as the threats posed to the Isthmus by extreme weather events and flooding.

• The Government of Canada is committed to working with the governments of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to explore options to ensure the resiliency of the Chignecto Isthmus.

• New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have submitted a joint application for the Chignecto Isthmus project through the recent Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) intake. All projects submitted are currently being assessed against program criteria.

• Under the DMAF, the Government of Canada is working to fund initiatives to protect Canadians and natural resources such as the Chignecto Isthmus from the impacts of climate change.

• The Chignecto Isthmus serves as a transportation link, providing the only road and rail connection between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

• On July 19, 2023, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick submitted a joint Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) application for the project. The proposed project is for sections of existing dykes to be raised and new dykes built. The estimated eligible project cost is $650 million. Under the current DMAF program parameters, the federal contribution for a provincial recipient is limited to a maximum contribution of 50% of eligible project costs, which would be $325 million.

• On July 19, 2023, Nova Scotia filed a reference question with the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal seeking the Court’s opinion on whether “the infrastructure which protects the interprovincial transportation, trade, and communication links across the Chignecto Isthmus [is] within the exclusive Legislative Authority of the Parliament of Canada”.

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