- Apr 10
- 4 min read

Transport Canada Approves Dartmouth Cove Infill Proposal

Dartmouth Cove Infill proposal receives the green light from Transport Canada, but still requires the ok from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans

All Nova Scotia is reporting this morning that Transport Canada has approved the proposal to infill Dartmouth Cove. This is an unfortunate step forward for Tom Hickey and Bruce Wood (of Atlantic Road Construction and Paving), the main project stakeholders, who are proposing to dump 100,000 cubic metres of construction debris in the cove. The new proposed start date to begin infill would be September 1, 2024. At this time, there are still no details on what would be done with this land after it’s infilled. The project would still need to receive approval from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, as well as Build Nova Scotia and HRM in order to access the lot.

HRM has repeatedly spoken out against the infill project. Following efforts to make bylaw changes in the pre-Confederation lots in the Northwest Arm, HRM had asked staff to prepare a report to assess the federal government’s same willingness for lots in Dartmouth Cove. At this time where Transport Canada has already granted its approval, it’s unclear if that same approach would have any impact on this particular proposal.

This approval comes on the heels of HRM releasing details around their long-term planning for the area. Halifax Regional Municipality has been working through a new plan to “revitalize” the Dartmouth Waterfront. In a recently declassified report, Halifax Regional Municipality has been preparing a staff report on how they would like to develop the area. There have been discussions around an emergency access road and potential opportunities for a future cruise port. While the infill project in question is not directly aligned with HRM’s plans, it is unclear if any discussions have taken place with the project stakeholders.

While this is crossing a major item off the list for Tom Hickey and Bruce Wood to move forward with infilling Dartmouth Cove, there is still more to be done.

Next Steps:

Contact the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO): Approval is still required from DFO to move the project forward. Express your concern about the impact of infilling on Dartmouth Cove. While used for years for industrial purposes, it is now a quiet residentials area with more and more wildlife returning every year. This has been a great area for lobster fishermen recently and a well populated area for birds, seals, fish and other wildlife.

Email (Detailed contact information at the bottom of this post):

Hon. Diane Lebouthillier, DFO Ministers | DFO.Minister-Ministre.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

DFO General Contact | info@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

MP Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary for the DFO | Mike.Kelloway@parl.gc.ca

MP Darren Fisher, Dartmouth-Cole Harbour | darren.fisher@parl.gc.ca

Reach Out to Halifax City Council: While the infilling itself can be approved at the federal level, the activity still happens within the confines of HRM. Using HRM streets, within HRM neighbourhoods and across city land. Express to City Council how critical this is it stop this dumping activity however possible.

Email: (you can copy and paste the following addresses directly, more detailed contact is at the bottom of this post): david.hendsbee@halifax.ca,cathy.deaglegammon@halifax.ca,mayor@halifax.ca,becky.kent@halifax.ca,trish.purdy@halifax.ca,sam.austin@halifax.ca,tony.mancini@halifax.ca,waye.mason@halifax.ca,lindell.smith@halifax.ca,shawn.cleary@halifax.ca,kathryn.morse@halifax.ca,patty.cuttell@halifax.ca,iona.stoddard@halifax.ca,pam.lovelace@halifax.ca,lisa.blackburn@halifax.ca,paul.russell@halifax.ca,tim.outhit@halifax.ca

Contact Build Nova Scotia: Voice your disagreement with allowing access to their land for this development. Build NS is a provincially managed crown corporation and works for the people of Nova Scotia. Highlight the need to prioritize the preservation of our natural spaces over facilitating unnecessary construction waste dumping.

Email:

David Benoit, President and CEO | david.benoit@novascotia.ca

Jonathan Veal, Vice President Infrastructure and Development | Jonathan.veale@novascotia.ca

Kim Masland, Minister Responsible for Build NS | publicworksminister@novascotia.ca

Premier Tim Houston | premier@novascotia.ca

General Inquiries | info@buildns.ca

To everyone who has written already, we want to thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to protecting Dartmouth Cove. Your advocacy and involvement are crucial as we work together towards preserving the Cove for years to come.

Your voice matters, and together, we can make a difference. Let's continue to stand united in our efforts to stop the infilling in Dartmouth Cove.