Project manager for Chignecto Isthmus work soon to be announced

The announcement of a project manager to oversee the years-long work to strengthen the Chignecto Isthmus could come any time, according to Public Works Minister Kim Masland.

The New Brunswick government led the procurement effort and posted the tender for the job, said Masland. An order-in-council was published Thursday authorizing her to enter into an agreement with her New Brunswick counterpart and the successful bidder on the job.

"We should have a name in the next couple of days," Masland told reporters at Province House.

The two provincial governments are jointly working on the effort to strengthen the stretch of land that connects Nova Scotia to the rest of Canada's mainland. With millions of dollars of trade passing through the corridor each day, along with a rail connection and transmission lines between the two provinces, the concern is that a major storm could cut Nova Scotia off from the rest of the country.

Masland said the project manager will oversee work that includes data collection, regulatory measures, stakeholder meetings and archaeological reports.

"Certainly, this is a milestone and we will make sure that we'll see this project finished."

'Heightened anxiety'

Independent MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, whose district of Cumberland North abuts the isthmus, said work on the project cannot start soon enough.

"Every time there's a storm, there is a heightened anxiety, you can feel it in the area," she said in an interview.

"It's something that all Nova Scotians should be aware of, but we're acutely aware of living right on the Chignecto Isthmus."

Smith-McCrossin said that although the work is expected to take up to a decade to complete, she'd like to see priority attention placed on the parts of the isthmus that are most susceptible to storm damage so that it can begin sooner.

Court action continues

Despite the looming announcement of a project manager, Masland said it continues to be the provincial government's position that Ottawa should cover the full cost of the work, estimated to be at least $400 million.

The federal government has offered to pay half the bill, with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia splitting the other half.

The Nova Scotia government has a constitutional reference case before the province's Court of Appeal in hopes of getting clarity on whether the dikes between the two provinces fall within the exclusive legislative authority of Parliament.

"They should be funding this project 100 per cent," said Masland.

The minister said work would progress on the project at the same time as the court matter moves ahead.