Why residents of a Cape Breton community are pushing against construction of a new bridge

Construction work for a new bridge in Cape Breton is underway. (Ryan MacDonald/CTV News Atlantic)

The roughly century-old bridge that spanned the main road through Catalone Gut, N.S., is being replaced, but not everyone who lives in the area is happy about it.

“The contention of our group is that they are missing the overall picture,” said Bill Nicholson, a member of the Catalone Restoration Committee.

Nicholson said the old bridge, which was built around 1925, and the rail line, which was installed in about 1895, had negative impacts on the estuary system in Catalone Lake.

District 8 councillor Steven MacNeil has been listening to the community members’ concerns.

“The sediment is filling in underneath the bridge,” said MacNeil. “It clogs the channel between the ocean and the lake.”

The community group hoped their concerns about fish and other sea life would be addressed by the Department of Public Works, which is in charge of the new bridge build, with an environmental assessment.

“Our efforts right now are to stop the construction of the new bridge until an appropriate assessment is done on the environmental impact,” Nicholson said.

MacNeil has asked the Nova Scotia government for armourstone and dredging of the lake. He adds a bridge is needed because it connects one community to the next.

“You don’t want to see that out for too long,” MacNeil said. “A lot of people use it. It’s definitely an important passage. At the same time, there is an environmental aspect to the construction that I hope the province hears.”

A spokesperson for the province told CTV Atlantic the department is limited to infrastructure maintenance and replacement and that, as a result, the project will only involve the construction of a new bridge.

The department added an environmental assessment is not required for a project of this scope and it currently holds all necessary regulatory approvals.

Nicholson said his group plans to continue meeting with their MLA – Progressive Conservative Brian Comer – and added they have been in talks with environmental groups like Ducks Unlimited.

“We want experts on hand that are willing to contribute their time and their money so that we can have this done appropriately,” Nicholson said.

The province said it remains committed to finishing the new bridge while protecting Nova Scotia’s natural environments and that work is expected to be finished by the end of the year.

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