Opposition mounts to infill part of Halifax Harbour

An application by a private company to infill Dartmouth Cove, located along the shore of the Halifax Harbour, with pyritic slate and other forms of rock will soon be considered by Transport Canada.

Dartmouth resident David Beck has tried to go online to voice his disapproval.

“But the site that they provide and you go in to put in your concern, it is almost impossible to navigate,” said Beck, who added he wants to protect what he called one of the more picturesque shorelines in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

“I kiteboard out there and a lot of people in the community kayak out there,” added Beck, who also said the cove features a nearby community pathway.

"It is nonstop traffic and people walking dogs. Everyone comes for the view.”

Historian David Jones has studied the application documents found on Transport Canada’s website and said a large portion of the cove could disappear.

"This is going to alter this area of the harbour forever,” said Jones, who adds the area has been largely untouched for hundreds of years.

“This was an important place for gathering, fishing, hunting and for just experiencing this beautiful part of the harbour.”

According to Will Balser from the Ecology Action Centre, the proposed infill highlights a regulatory gap between municipal, provincial and federal governments when it comes to routine dumping of certain materials.

It could also bring a variety of other environmental risks.

"We have centuries of industrial waste sitting at the bottom of the harbour that would be disturbed the moment that rock starts to land,” said Balser.

Balser would also like to see a large section of eelgrass in the area be protected.

“Eelgrass is a particular sensitive fish habitat and critical fish habitat in fish nursery,” said Balser.

Balser also shares the concerns of local residents when it comes to altering the coastal aesthetics of Dartmouth Cove.