The Sustainability of Nova Scotia's Harbours and Wharves: Towards a Coordinated Action Strategy - March 2005

Regional Meetings
(Follow-up to the January 20th meeting in Eastern Passage)

One of the priorities identified in the January 20th discussions - providing more opportunities for networking and cooperation - has led to the set up of four regional meetings to take place in March.

March 18 - 10:30am – 3:30pm
Tatamagouche Firehall
Tatamagouche

March 21 - 10:30am – 3:30pm
Gaelic College
St. Anns, Victoria County

March 30 - 10:30am – 3:30pm
Annapolis Conference Centre
(sponsored by Fundy Marine Resource Centre)
Cornwallis

March 31 - 10:30 – 3:30pm
Seaforth Community Hall
Seaforth, Halifax County

For more information on these regional meetings, click on the links below.

Invitation and Registration Form - MS Word Document

Invitation and Registration Information - Webpage

Article from Chronicle Herald - February 8th, 2005

The Sustainability of Nova Scotia Harbours and Wharves: Examining Options and Next Steps - January 20th, 2005

Planning Meeting

Minutes (MS Word Document); Summary (MS Word Document)
Post-Event Press Release (MS Word Document)

Article from Chronicle Herald - February 8th, 2005

Date: Thursday, January 20th

Time: 10:00 am – 4:00pm

Place: Fisherman's Cove Marine

Interpretative Centre, Eastern Passage

Coastal Communities Contribute Significantly to Nova Scotia's Economy, But Infrastructure Is Threatened.

New Glasgow, NS - Nova Scotia's coastline, wharves and harbours play a significant role in the province's economy, providing important access points for prosperous activities such as fishing, tourism, aquaculture and fish processing, to name a few. However, while these economic activities continue to grow, Nova Scotia's wharves and harbours, our highways to the ocean, are deteriorating, and face serious threats to their safe operation.

Despite inadequate infrastructures, fish and other products are thriving and make up 20% of Nova Scotia's total exports. In 2003, Nova Scotia led the country with the largest generation of total fish landing value - $801 million. Tourism also contributes significantly to the economy, drawing tourists to “Canada's Ocean Playground” and generates more than 1 billion per year.

The backbone of any dialogue about our quality of life and sustainable rural communities has to start with facts that reflect where we are today. A study completed by Coastal Communities Network - “Between the Land and Sea: The Social and Economic Importance of Wharves and Harbours for Nova Scotia” - has combined critical information sources to produce a document worthy of use by researchers and community leaders. Wendy Robichaud, board member of Coastal Communities Network states, “this study is one of the more comprehensive information platforms that can be accessed by those who want to make a difference by creating healthy vibrant rural communities in Nova Scotia”.

The report outlines the overarching trends and strengths of Nova Scotia's coastal economy, which are driven by tourism, recreation, fishing, aquaculture, boat building, and other activities. It also points to the serious questions and policy issues that must be dealt with if we are to sustain vibrant coastal and rural communities.

Among the critical issues facing community planners and all levels of government is the inadequate reinvestment rate in fishing harbours. Based upon industry experience with marine structures, reinvestment rates are set between 4.0% and 4.2% of the harbour replacement value. In 1999, Nova Scotia's harbours received only 1.36% in reinvestment.

The report, along with its map-based GIS database, provides the impetus for communities, government, economic growth sectors and other stakeholders to organize actions and marshal efforts in the development of new policy directions. On January 20th, 2005, the Coastal Communities Network hosted a one-day planning meeting with provincial coastal stakeholders to address the key issues in the report that face Nova Scotia's harbours and wharves.

Summer Intern Project - 2004: Providing Research and Strategic Support to the Upper Bay of Fundy Wharf Pilot Project

Purpose

The purpose of “…[p]roviding Research and Strategic Support to the Upper Bay of Fundy Wharf Pilot Project (UBFWPP) “ is to document and contribute towards a process of creating a community-based collaborative management strategy for Harbour Authorities and Harbour Groups in the Upper Bay of Fundy region of Nova Scotia. The premise of this project is that through sharing resources, skills and knowledge, more can be accomplished collectively than individually.

The main focus of the UBFWPP is to create a pool of resources and funds from a variety of funding sources that will be coordinated and administered jointly by representatives from each participating harbour. The newly formed Upper Bay of Fundy Marine Resource Centre and the Bay of Fundy Marine Resource Centre will provide support. This co-operative effort will open the door to new funding sources that would not be available to individual wharves. The coordination of the pooled resources would be managed in a fair, transparent, ecological and democratic process through the UBFWPP. The Upper Bay of Fundy Wharf Pilot Project Team is currently asking wharves in Kings County to express their interest and commitment to the project.

“Providing Research and Strategic Support for the Upper Bay of Fundy Wharf Pilot Project” will provide a collection of strategies for collaborative management based on a review of related literature and key informant interviews.

For the one-page wharf pilot project description, click here

Objectives

This research project focuses on providing research and information resources during the design and implementation of the UBFWPP. It attempts to fulfill the following three objectives:

1. Gain an increased understanding of the objectives and expectations of UBFWPP participants through in-depth semi-structured interviews.
2. Compile a collection of best practice examples, resources and tools that will be useful to the UBFWPP throughout the planning, implementation and evaluation stages.
3. Document the process of implementing the first stage of the UBFWPP.

This document will potentially become a historical tool of reflection for the communities involved. It may also become a resource for other groups attempting similar collaborative efforts. Furthermore, it may help to provide an entry point for policy initiatives and changes related to harbour management.

In addition to the research project described above, I have also been working with the Coastal Communities Network (CCN) Wharves and Harbours Database. My activities include using the database to compile community profiles, research specific issues, assess database accessibility and update tourism data sets.

The Database is a valuable tool for the UBFWPP because it will provide valuable evidence for potential funders and partners. The Database is an excellent example of a community project that directly addresses the information needs of rural communities who are actively attempting to affect policy change.

Prepared by: Erica de Sousa
RCIP Summer Intern
June 15, 2004

Sustaining Structures: Exploring the Collaborative Management of Wharves in Kings County- TEXT VERSION - by Erica de Sousa, October 2004

Sustaining Structures: Exploring the Collaborative Management of Wharves in Kings County- COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH VERSION - by Erica de Sousa, October 2004
(Beware of increased download time due to photographs and images)

Background - Fall/Winter 2003-2004

The Coastal Communities Network (CCN) and the Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre (AHPRC) at Dalhousie University, partners in the Rural Communities Impacting Policy (RCIP) Project, co-hosted a Rural Policy Forum and RCIP Project Planning Session on February 26-28, 2004 in Truro. Six policy issues that currently affect many rural communities were the subject of workshop presentations and discussions. The Social and Economic Impact of Wharves and Harbours on Coastal Communities was one of the issues.

(CCN Harbours and Wharves powerpoint presentation from Rural Policy Forum workshop (Feb 2004). Highlighting results from "Between the Land and the Sea" - an extensive 2003 report and accompanying database that focuses on: The Social and Economic Importance of Wharves & Harbours for Nova Scotia.)

Building on the action plan from the workshop backgrounder, Forum workshop participants established that there was a need to develop a multi-stakeholder strategy - a new model for funding Harbour Authorities. Specifically, three of the six Upper Bay wharves were represented in the workshop: Along with ACOA, NS Economic Development and DFO, it was agreed to investigate the possibility of launching a pilot project in the Upper Bay of Fundy region to begin developing a new model for funding Harbour Authorities. It was also agreed that this strategy would be complemented by the CCN Wharves and Harbours report and accompanying database.

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Related Harbours and Wharves Resources

RCIP Discussion Forum

RCIP Rural Policy Forum 2004 - Report

RCIP Rural Policy Forum 2005

Sustaining Structures: Exploring the Collaborative Management of Wharves in Kings County- TEXT VERSION - by Erica de Sousa, October 2004

Sustaining Structures: Exploring the Collaborative Management of Wharves in Kings County- COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH VERSION - by Erica de Sousa, October 2004
(Beware of increased download time due to photographs and images)

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Documents - CCN Harbour Authority Project

Click here to view/upload the latest documents.