Nova Scotia’s Whale Sanctuary Project breaks ground but Crown lease still unsigned
The project still needs federal permits and fundraising to cover $15 million in construction and $1.5 million in annual operating costs.
- On Friday, the Whale Sanctuary Project held a groundbreaking ceremony in eastern Nova Scotia for North America's first coastal refuge for retired whales, with CEO Charles Vinick calling the event a "significant milestone."
- Premier Tim Houston's cabinet approved a 20-year Crown lease for the 40-hectare site last year, and Vinick noted the Natural Resources Department has agreed on all lease language, pending attorney review.
- Local residents, including Tracy Burns-Gagnon, oppose the project, with Burns-Gagnon claiming the government broke a promise that the lease required unanimous consent from adjacent Wine Harbour property owners.
- Construction at the wharf faces delays until late August due to nesting endangered barn swallows, while the sanctuary has yet to secure whales, as animals from Marineland in Niagara Falls are going to aquariums in the U.S. and Spain instead.
- The project requires permits from the Fisheries Department and fundraising to cover $15 million in construction costs, plus $1.5 million in annual operating expenses for 24-hour staff and marine medical care.
10 Articles
10 Articles
Nova Scotia’s Whale Sanctuary Project breaks ground but Crown lease still unsigned
WINE HARBOUR - A proposal to build North America's first coastal refuge for captive whales took a symbolic step forward on Friday as its proponents staged a groundbreaking ceremony in a rugged corner of eastern Nova Scotia.
Whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia holds groundbreaking ceremony despite setbacks
The non-profit group planning a whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday to mark the beginning of what's promised to be a haven for retired whales.
Nova Scotia's Whale Sanctuary Project breaks ground but Crown lease still unsigned
WINE HARBOUR — A proposal to build North America’s first coastal refuge for captive whales took a symbolic step forward on Friday as its proponents staged a groundbreaking ceremony in a rugged corner of eastern Nova Scotia. The event attracted local residents as well as a group of about a dozen protesters with placards camped […]
Nova Scotia's Whale Sanctuary Project to break ground but Crown lease still unsigned
WINE HARBOUR - A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled this afternoon in eastern Nova Scotia to mark the start of construction for North America's first coastal refuge for whales retired from marine theme parks.
Whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia holds groundbreaking ceremony amid challenges
A non-profit group in Nova Scotia commenced construction of a whale sanctuary with a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, signalling the start of a project aimed at providing a refuge for retired whales.

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