'One of the most unique facilities': Halifax aquarium set to open this fall seeks municipal funds

Halifax's first research aquarium plans to open this fall, and is looking for funding from the municipality to help with the costs needed to stay afloat.

Dov Bercovici, president of the Discovery Centre, gave an update to Halifax's community planning and economic development standing committee on Thursday about the Beaty Centre for Marine Biodiversity, first announced in 2023.

The facility, housed at Dalhousie University's Steele Ocean Sciences Building, will be run by Discovery Centre International (the centre's social enterprise branch) alongside the school.

Bercovici said the facility will showcase the work of ocean scientists, PhDs and researchers in Halifax — which has the highest concentration of these experts per capita globally.

"To have access to all of that knowledge and content and relevancy on an ongoing basis is a dream for a facility like this," Bercovici said during the meeting.

"In fact, probably one of the most unique facilities in the world."

The centre will feature about 25 live animals, many living in the three large tanks showing different ecosystems like the deep sea, a rocky reef, and seagrass meadow.

A showpiece hanging from the ceiling will be an 18-metre skeleton of a blue whale that washed up in Nova Scotia in 2017. Exhibits will be in English, French and Mi'kmaw. 

Margaret Campbell, Discovery Centre lead designer, said the Beaty Centre will be open to tourists and the public, with a focus on inspiring youth to get interested in ocean science through class trips and work placements for students.

"[This] will empower kids from a wider demographic section to see this as something that they can actually pursue and dedicate their educational and professional lives to," Campbell said.

Bercovici said the capital costs of creating the centre have been covered through more than $10 million in donations and fundraising, including an $8.2-million donation from British Columbia-based entrepreneur and conservationist Ross Beaty.

But he told councillors Thursday they are looking for about $200,000 in annual operating funds from Halifax for the next five years to cover some of their $653,000 yearly expenses.

The rest of the yearly funds would come from earned revenue like ticket sales ($286,000) and fundraising ($170,000).

Deputy Mayor Tony Mancini said an aquarium has been a topic of conversation at city hall for years but never gotten anywhere. 

This project can benefit from the Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship (COVE) hub, he said, and follows recommendations from the Ivany report back in 2014 for Nova Scotia to take better advantage of the ocean.

"It just lines up so well and that's why I really feel that it's worthwhile to take to the next step," Mancini said.

Many committee members said the centre offers a lot of value, but the request comes at a tough time as council is already facing a proposed 7.6 per cent increase to the property tax bill.

"I will find it very challenging to support this kind of an ask as an over budget [item] this year," said Coun. Cathy Deagle Gammon.

The committee agreed that regional council should consider asking for a staff report on the Beaty Centre's funding request at a future meeting.