Acadian groups say Chignecto Isthmus should be designated national park
![Chignecto Isthmus The Chignecto Isthmus is pictured in between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. (Alana Pickrell/CTV Atlantic)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/9/13/chignecto-isthmus-1-6560293-1714655961667.jpg)
Organizations representing Acadians in Atlantic Canada are proposing the Chignecto Isthmus, which links New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, be turned into a national park.
The proposal is contained in a brief submitted this month to the Senate committee currently considering a bill that, if passed by Parliament, would make Ottawa responsible for work to protect the narrow low-lying land corridor. The Federation acadienne de la Nouvelle-Ecosse and the Societe Nationale de l'Acadie were also part of the brief submitted to the standing committee on transport and communications.
In an interview Wednesday, Nicole Arseneau-Sluyter, acting president of the Societe de l'Acadie du Nouveau Brunswick, said the national park designation would help protect an area of cultural significance to Acadians.
"The Acadians built the aboiteaux and dikes. and a lot of Acadians irrigated the marshland, and there was a lot of trade from there with Europe," said Arseneau-Sluyter. She added that her organization believes it's up to the federal government to bolster the current infrastructure against the effects of climate change.
The isthmus has had large dikes since 1671, when Acadian settlers arrived, and there are currently about 35 kilometres of dikes that help protect roads, railways, farms and communities.
Arseneau-Sluyter said the national park idea also makes sense because of the number of national historic sites that are already in the area, including Fort Beausejour-Fort Cumberland National Historic Site in New Brunswick and the Fort Lawrence and Beaubassin sites in Nova Scotia.
"At this point we have just planted the seed," she said. "There are a lot of different ways this can go, but if it becomes a national park the federal government would become responsible to fix the problem with the rising waters."
Both the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick governments want Ottawa to foot the bill for the estimated $650-million infrastructure project, but the federal government has said it will only cover half the cost. The work would strengthen the dike system and rail line against rising sea levels.
The political squabble over who should pay remains contentious after the Nova Scotia government began legal proceedings last July to determine whether the federal government has exclusive responsibility to maintain structures along the corridor.
The back-and-forth continued earlier this month, after Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston noted Ottawa's acquisition of the Quebec Bridge and its commitment to spend $1 billion over the next 25 years to repair, repaint and maintain the Quebec City span. Houston said he wanted to see consistent criteria applied to federal funding of important transportation links.
In their submission to the Senate committee, the Acadian groups also noted the importance of the Quebec Bridge purchase and linked it to funding for the isthmus.
"This is an important road and railroad that connects Nova Scotia to the rest of Canada," said Arseneau-Sluyter.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2024.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6950941.1720092571!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Hurricane Beryl roars toward Mexico after leaving destruction in Jamaica and eastern Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl ripped off roofs in Jamaica, jumbled fishing boats in Barbados and damaged or destroyed 95 per cent of homes on a pair of islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines before rumbling toward the Cayman Islands and taking aim at Mexico's Caribbean coast after leaving at least seven dead in its wake.
NEW Is Hurricane Beryl a sign of what's to come this season?
With warmer-than-usual temperatures on the horizon this summer, a stronger and longer Atlantic storm season is ahead. A hurricane expert explains why that is and what to expect in the months ahead.
Most Canadians think Trudeau will stay on to the next election: poll
A majority of Canadians think Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will stay on to lead his party in the next election even as his approval ratings are still extremely low, a new poll suggests.
Ottawa landlord left with hefty bill after tenant trashes rental property
A landlord in Ottawa is facing thousands of dollars in repairs after his tenant left his only rental property damaged and disorderly.
If you qualify for this tax credit, you can expect a payment in your bank account this week
The next quarterly GST/HST tax credit payment is expected to go out this week, according to the Canada Revenue Agency.
Labour is hopeful and Conservatives morose as voters deliver their verdict on U.K.'s election day
British voters are picking a new government Thursday in a parliamentary election that is widely expected to bring the Labour Party to power against a gloomy backdrop of economic malaise, mounting distrust in institutions and a fraying social fabric.
Cape Breton police investigating gold-for-gas scam that targets unsuspecting drivers
Police in Cape Breton are investigating reports of a scam involving a seemingly stranded motorist flagging down drivers and offering gold jewelry in exchange for money to pay for gas or repairs.
Irish prime minister 'appalled' by Montrealer's death after alleged assault
Ireland's prime minister says he's "absolutely appalled" by an assault in the country's capital that resulted in the death of a tourist from Montreal.
'I was freaking out:' Ontario woman shocked to see black widow spider in her groceries
An Ontario woman said she was freaking out when she found a venomous black widow spider in a bag of grapes her husband had bought at Walmart earlier that day.