“One Dartmouth Cove” is a Greenwashed Fantasy

Council votes in days, and ARCP is gaslighting the community harder than ever.

This week, the developers behind the proposed Dartmouth Cove infill launched a slick new website under the banner One Dartmouth Cove. Let’s be clear: One Dartmouth Cove doesn’t exist. It is nothing more than a money-making dream by Atlantic Road Construction & Paving (ARCP) if they can force their way through layers of federal, provincial, and municipal approvals.

The site paints a picture of public parks, green space, and community access. But the facts tell a different story:

• No park is coming. ARCP has already told HRM that the infilled land would not be appropriate for seeding grass. The glossy renderings of community green space are pure fiction. This isn’t a park proposal; it’s a private real estate grab.

• No approvals are in place. There are zero approvals today that allow ARCP to:

  • Truck through our neighbourhood to access the site,

  • Fill in 2.7 hectares of Dartmouth Cove with pyritic slate and quarry rock, or

  • Zone and develop the land. Every level of government still has the power to stop this destructive project.

• The project is environmentally devastating. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has already determined the proposal would cause harmful alteration and destruction of fish habitat. Even Transport Canada’s own approval letter confirms the project results in the permanent loss of water and habitat.

• Halifax Regional Council has passed motions opposing infilling in HRM and directed staff to pursue bylaw changes to restrict it.

• Public money is at risk. This project directly jeopardizes millions of dollars in federal and provincial taxpayer investment in Dartmouth Cove — including the world-class Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship (COVE). Infill here threatens research opportunities, jobs, and Canada’s position as a global leader in marine innovation. The website says that a small allowance has been made for boat clearance, but says nothing of the current research taking place within the Cove.

• It’s gaslighting, too. This isn’t the first time ARCP has tried to twist reality to fit its agenda. From dismissing community opposition to peddling the idea of a “park” they’ve already admitted they won’t seed, ARCP’s strategy is to convince residents that black is white, destruction is revitalization, and profit is public good. It’s not just greenwashing — it’s gaslighting.

• 
  

Meanwhile, ARCP continues to pour money into PR campaigns, even co-opting the language of “saving” Dartmouth Cove. It is the most blatant example we’ve seen of corporate spin: dressing up an industrial dumping project as environmental stewardship.

The truth is simple:

• This isn’t a park.

• This isn’t approved.

• This isn’t community-minded.

  
  

It’s a private land grab at the expense of our harbour, our trail, our community, and our public investments.

What You Can Do

Halifax Regional Council will be reviewing the amended staff report on Tuesday, September 23rd. This is a critical moment to show Council that residents care about Dartmouth Cove and won’t stand by while developers greenwash destruction.

✍️ Write to HRM Council today. Tell them to put real protections in place for Dartmouth Cove — just like they did for the Northwest Arm.

📧 You can reach all Councillors. The full email list is below.

Your voice matters. Council takes note of public pressure, and strong community opposition can make the difference.

💧 Together, we can hold the line and truly Save Dartmouth Cove.

Full Council Email List:

cathy.deaglegammon@halifax.ca, david.hendsbee@halifax.ca, becky.kent@halifax.ca, trish.purdy@halifax.ca, sam.austin@halifax.ca, tony.mancini@halifax.ca, Laura.White@halifax.ca, Virginia.Hinch@halifax.ca, shawn.cleary@halifax.ca, kathryn.morse@halifax.ca, cuttelp@halifax.ca, Janet.steele@halifax.ca, nancy.hartling@halifax.ca, john.young@halifax.ca, billy.gillis@halifax.ca, jean.st-amand@halifax.ca, mayor@halifax.ca