The Feds Fund Maritime Harbour Upgrades

Maritime harbours get federal upgrade funds
Last Updated: Sunday, May 2, 2010 | 1:18 PM AT Comments84Recommend28CBC News
Small craft harbours across the Maritimes are getting $30 million for upgrade and repair work.

Peter McKay, the federal cabinet minister responsible for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, announced $12 million in funding for N.S. harbours Saturday at Fisherman's Cove, just outside Halifax.

Another $15 million will go to New Brunswick, while $3 million is allocated for P.E.I. The money is part of a national program that provides $67 million for the more than 1,000 small craft harbours in Canada.

"You see the wharf here — where it's all caved in over here? It's breaking away here and if you look from here, she's parting here," said Pherne Barkhouse, of Fisherman's Cove Harbour Authority, providing a tour and explaining why the funding is needed.

Fisherman's Cove attracts fishermen from across the Maritimes during the herring and tuna seasons, said Barkhouse.

At peak times the boats are tied up 10 vessels side-by-side along the dock, he said.

Pleasure boating is also growing as development in Nova Scotia's Eastern Passage expands.

"See, these people live in the community and it's hard to say they can't bring their boat here and tie up at the wharf. It's not fair really," said harbour authority president John Silver.

Silver wants to build floating docks that will form a "T" off the main wharf, to accommodate pleasure craft. It's not known how much that project would cost or how much of the federal funding Fisherman's Cove might receive.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2010/05/02/ns-small-harbours-money.html#ixzz0mufwPKuW