New aboiteau in Hants County, N.S., receives federal approval

The work on Highway 101 in Nova Scotia recently received federal approval.

The federal government has approved the construction of a new aboiteau in Nova Scotia’s Hants County.

The gated structure, designed to control tidal flow, will replace the current Avon River aboiteau, which was built in the late 1960s.

The province says the new aboiteau will allow for the completion of the Highway 101 twinning project through the Windsor area.

In addition to the aboiteau, two highway bridges will be constructed along with a new control building and permanent dikes.

The Avon River estuary channel will also be aligned.

“We have been seeking approval on this project since 2020, and I am glad that we have come to an agreement that will allow us to get this job done,” said Hants West MLA Melissa Sheehy-Richard in a provincial news release.

“We have looked at all options, and the result is a solution that delivers flood protection while also improving fish passage.”

The first proposal submitted in 2020 came with a price tag of $177 million. West Hants MP Kody Blois says the cost has gone up, but the work is important.

“The authorization will be in place until Dec. 31, 2033. This gives an adequate time for the proponents, the province of Nova Scotia, to be able to make provisions to be able to construct the new aboiteau, to be able to undertake the work,” said Blois.

The aboiteau design was approved under the Fisheries Act, as it may impact fish or fish habitat.

Construction of the aboiteau is expected to take about three years.

The province says there will be a long-term monitoring plan to evaluate its impact on fish passage and the environment.

Concerns over fish passage

The Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs has said it is concerned about the future of fish passage in the Avon River.

In 2020, the causeway was opened for short periods to allow fish to get through, pitting farmers and businesses against some First Nations protesters.

“This is a pathway where we are respecting Indigenous rights, we are protecting fish species, we are improving fish passage, we are improving public safety,” said Blois.

The chiefs said any river crossing infrastructure should provide unimpeded fish passage all year round.

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