‘Chaos and confusion’ surrounds the Avon River causeway issue
West Hants council seeking urgent, in-person meeting with DFO minister
West Hants councillors want to open the lines of communication with all Avon River causeway stakeholders, and they're starting at the top.
On June 22, council voted to send a letter to Bernadette Jordan, the federal minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, requesting an urgent in-person meeting with her to discuss the Avon River causeway, aboiteau gate system and ministerial order.
Additionally, they voted to send a letter to Kwilmu'kw Maw-klusuaqn (KMK) Committee as well as Glooscap First Nation requesting a similar in-person meeting.
West Hants Mayor Abraham Zebian said in an interview June 24 that the municipality has been left out of the loop and they need answers.
“The causeway issue is front and centre here in West Hants,” said Zebian.
“The online rhetoric, the community conversations, the correspondence coming from residents to council — it's increasing, (and) it's becoming increasingly divisive.”
He said it's time for real answers.
“As elected officials, without having a direct decisionmaking authority over this matter, I feel it's our place to keep our community together, keep it strong, have it understand the process and understand what's going on and try to seek answers for our community as to what to expect going forward,” he said.
In addition to the three letters, Zebian proposed a fourth letter, this one addressed to Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin and Brendan Maguire, the minister of Municipal Affairs.
He said the hope is to encourage an intergovernmental conversation.
“The intent of that one is to help us, as West Hants Regional, get answers and receive answers of what we should be expecting going forward,” said Zebian.
He said there has been a severe lack of communication on the file and the community is hurting because of it.
“We don't know what our future looks like. We have a ministerial order that threw chaos and division into our community back in March. It's been chaos and confusion ever since,” he said.
The ministerial order in question was issued by the federal DFO minister, requiring changes to the operation of the aboiteau structure in Windsor that controls the flow of the Avon River. The provincial government is in the process of twinning the highway and requires DFO approval for whatever structure they build to replace the gated system. The ministerial order, which has been renewed every two weeks, requires the draining of Lake Pisiquid, the freshwater head pond that was created when the Avon River was modified with an aboiteau and causeway in the late 1960s. It's been in operation since 1970. The ministerial order also indicates that the gates must remain open when the tide is out and stay open for at least 10 minutes to allow saltwater and fish passage with each incoming tide.
Council has received dozens of letters on both sides of the issue — some wanting to see the river returned to its natural state, some wishing for a return to the status quo, while others are seeking a balance.
Many letter writers and commentators hope an engineering compromise can be developed, a system that could protect farmland and homes from flooding and maintain a freshwater resource while also allowing adequate fish passage.
Zebian said he's hopeful the municipality's letters, which were to be sent by the end of the week, would help bring some clarity to the situation.
“We're really just seeking answers at this point.”
West Hants councillors
Jim Ivey and Ed Sherman questioned the last-minute addition of the fourth letter, noting they'd like to have more time to consider sending such correspondence.
“It is tough when you get a motion that's just presented to you at the time — and not just about this one tonight. It's happened three or four times on three or four different topics,” said Sherman.
Prior to the vote, the mayor told council this letter was just another means to seek answers for constituents.
“It's pretty self-explanatory. It's not being divisive. It's trying to get us answers. I'm requesting help from anybody who can try to help get us answers,” he said.
One councillor, Scott McLean, declared a conflict of interest before the discussion of the letters and did not vote on the issue.