N.S. designates 15 new provincial parks, expands 2 others

Nova Scotia is designating 15 new provincial parks and expanding two others as a part of the provincial parks and protected areas plan.

In a statement released Wednesday, officials said the new and expanded parks include "natural landscapes and cultural heritage," and are home to a variety of plants and animals.

The newly designated areas cover about 1,150 hectares of land, furthering the province's goal of protecting 20 per cent of Nova Scotia's land and water mass by 2030. According to officials, the province now has 128 provincial parks, putting it more than halfway toward its commitment of having 205 parks.

"They're protected for their natural and cultural heritage value for generations to come," said Sandra Fraser, parks promotion officer with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, in an interview.

The provincial parks and protected areas plan was released back in 2013 with an aim to "update Nova Scotia's park system to secure and strengthen its long term success," among other goals and actions, including addressing protection gaps and collaborating with Mi'kmaw communities.

The plan also committed to updating the Provincial Parks Act and associated regulations "to ensure protection of heritage values."

Raymond Plourde, wilderness co-ordinator with the Ecology Action Centre, said in an interview the organization was glad to hear about the new parks.

"They were put forward in the 2013 parks and protected areas plan, so it's taken quite a while —11 years — but we're very happy to see them finally cross the finish line," he said.

But he has lingering concerns, he said, about the level of protection given to all parks under the Provincial Parks Act. It's easy to take a designated park off the list without any public consultation or debate in the legislature, he said.

"So that puts their protection level at a very low level. It can be undone very easily, and for that reason it can't count," said Plourde.

"Unfortunately, they can't count toward our provincial 20 per cent targets when reporting to the national and international bodies that measure these things because the provincial parks legislation is still too weak."

Changing the status of a provincial park would be as simple as the minister going to cabinet and making an order to council, which could happen without any public input, Plourde said.

Nadine Hunt, the West Mabou Beach Committee chair, echoed the sentiment. She said in an interview that the designations don't do enough to truly protect land, using a Cape Breton park as an example.

"When you first hear that, you say, 'Well, that's good' … The only problem is that West Mabou Beach Provincial Park is a natural environment park and has been since the year 2001. And yet on two separate occasions in 2017 and again in 2023, we were subjected to a private corporation trying to get their hands [on it] either by buying or leasing part of our park."

There have been two proposals to build an 18-hole golf course in the Mabou area. The first attempt was rejected in 2018 after a review of the park called it a key area for conservation.

In 2023, the provincial government said no to the second bid for a golf course.

Despite being blocked twice, Hunt said the Provincial Parks Act — which has not been revised since 1989 — offers "wiggle room" for developers to make applications.

"We're still here thinking maybe they'll do it next year, maybe somebody else will do it next year," she said. "We're really anxious to get the Provincial Park Act amended so that major developments like that, which totally disturb the natural environment, can't happen."

She went on to say, "It's great to hear this, but still there's that nagging doubt in the back of your mind:... When is somebody going to come along and try to take a piece of it?"

When asked about the level of protection the act offers provincial parks, Erin Lynch, communications adviser with the department, said in a statement that the act designates parks and designates what can be done in them.

"The department forms agreements with some organizations allowing them to build park infrastructure such as trails," the statement reads in part. "However, current legislation and regulations do not allow for large developments."

Both Plourde and Hunt said they want to see legislation in place that goes further in protecting provincial parks from development.

"Today, what we see is areas being designated as part of that plan and part of those commitments which they are recognizing in their press release," said Plourde.

"But then there is the outstanding commitment at a policy level … to strengthen the legislation."

New and expanded provincial parks:

• Ainslie Point, Inverness County.
• Black Duck Cove, Guysborough County.
• Cape George, Antigonish County.
• Cookville, Lunenburg County.
• False Bay, Richmond County.
• Five Islands, Colchester County (expansion).
• Gaspereaux River, Cape Breton County.
• Herring Cove, Halifax County.
• Jerry Lawrence, Halifax County (expansion).
• MacKenzie Beach, Pictou County.
• Merigomish, Pictou County.
• New Harbour, Guysborough County.
• North Mountain, Annapolis County.
• Orangedale, Inverness County.
• Pomquet, Antigonish County.
• Tor Bay, Guysborough County.
• Uisge Bàn Falls, Victoria County.