'It just has to be done': N.B. coastal communities call for action following string of storm surges

The frequency of significant storm surges on New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy coast has seaside mayors calling for action in the form of shoreline remediation and infrastructure upgrades.

Astronomical high tides and severe winter weather contributed to large storm surges on Jan. 10  and Jan. 13.

A storm surge slams into St. Andrews, N.B., on Jan. 13, 2024. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic)

Grand Manan Mayor Bonnie Morse says these types of events are no longer an anomaly and are adding up to take a toll.

“When we look at things like wharves and harbours, a lot of those here on the island were built 50-plus years ago,” says Morse. “Certainly, with sea level rise and with increasing storms, we’re seeing more and more of those wharves are underwater during these high tides, during these storms."

Morse says roads on the eastern side of Grand Manan are another concern because of the pavement's proximity to the ocean.

Last week’s two storm surges also caused localized flooding in St. Andrews, adding to erosion along the town’s shoreline.

Coastal erosion from recent storm surges in St. Andrews, N.B., on Jan. 15, 2024. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic)

“In the last five years we’ve noticed a significant increase in the amount of times Public Works has had to take the beach off the road,” says St. Andrews Mayor Brad Henderson. “These occurrences of the beach coming up and the water coming up in our areas that are a little bit lower is happening more and more."

In the next few weeks, town councillors in St. Andrews will consider options as part of a long-term plan to raise portions of the waterfront near the town’s wharf by nearly a metre.

“You gotta wonder if the timing of these storms aren’t going to be in the back of (town councillor’s minds) to pick maybe an option that would be more durable and more rugged than they had originally thought of.”

David Peterson owns a restaurant in St. Andrews, which saw even more of its coastal property wash away in these latest storms. Peterson says coastal remediation and erosion control have become a top priority for residents.

“It just has to be done,” says Peterson. “I’m sure it's going to cost a lot of money. But it just has to be done.”

Coastal erosion from recent storm surges in St. Andrews, N.B., on Jan. 15, 2024. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic)

Progressive Conservative cabinet minister and Saint Croix MLA Kathy Bockus says she’ll be calling for more of a focus on coastal erosion following these latest storms.

“Things are going to have to change at the government level, as far as I’m concerned,” says Bockus. “I’m very concerned about how these storms are changing and how these storms are becoming more intense, and really hitting the coastal areas much harder than they used to.”

Morse says all three levels of government will need to come to the table in order to get anything substantial done.

“Whether we’re talking municipal, provincial, or federal, we all need to start having those conversations about how close our infrastructure is to the water, and what we can do to protect it,” says Morse. “I think we all know what needs to be done, but these things cost money and they cost significant amounts of money.”

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