What's going on?

Feds and province sign MOU on oceans and coasts

Spring 2011 consultation on NS Coastal Strategy

The link for both is www.gov.ns.ca/coast

Show your support for a provincial Coastal Act: join Act for Our Coast Now on Facebook

The Coastal Coalition formed because of concern for the natural state of Nova Scotia's coastal areas. The driving force behind its initial formation was concern over the protection of piping plover habitat at Louis Head and Kingsburg Beaches. Both beaches continue to be threatened with inappropriate development.

Sensing the urgency to protect Nova Scotia’s coastline from unplanned development, the first Coalition meeting was held in May 2004 between the Ecology Action Centre, the Kingsburg Coastal Conservancy, the Federation of Nova Scotia Naturalists, the Nova Scotia Bird Society, the Nova Scotia Coastal Guardian Program, the Southwest Environmental Protection Association, and the Tusket River Environmental Protection Association. Following its creation, the Coalition’s member base grew rapidly. Today over 120 groups and individuals remain on the list-serve to keep abreast of the Coalition’s initiatives and other coastal activities around the Province.

Since its creation, members of the Coalition have continued to work together to raise awareness on coastal issues of concern and the need for provincial leadership on coastal management through a comprehensive coastal policy. Major Coalition initiatives are outlined below.

• The ‘Changing Tides’ workshop held November 5-7 2004. At this workshop participants explored the many policy, program and regulatory avenues already in place to implement coastal planning. The role of municipal planning in coastal protection and the existence of a wide range of coastal planning research and policy recommendations were noted in particular. The proceedings of this workshop are available through the Publications portion of this site.


• An awareness campaign on the need for a provincial coastal policy framework. Activities in this campaign have ranged from calls to members to write letters on specific issues to coastal policy related presentations to a variety of stakeholders. Coalition presentations include one to the Nova Scotia legislative caucuses in 2005, the Union of Nova Scotia municipalities in 2006 and another to 5 deputy minister members of the Provincial Oceans Network in March 2007. A powerpoint of the March 2007 presentation is available here.

In addition, Coalition members provide scientific, policy, and general coastal education support to local groups. Members also engage in support of local issues. One recent victory for coastal management for which Coalition members provided support to a member group (the Partnership for Sustainable Development of Digby Neck & Islands Society), was the rejection of the proposed mega-quarry on Digby Neck in fall 2007. This case is an excellent example of how local action in combination with province-wide pressure can bring about change in the way Nova Scotia’s coastline is managed.

In late 2007, the Coalition restructured its governance model to one led by a Steering Committee. The aim of this restructuring is to enhance the capacity of the Coalition and improve overall regional representation. The Coalition is currently recruiting dedicated volunteers to become involved with the Steering Committee. The primary activity planned for 2008 is the development of a comprehensive coastal policy response to the November 22, 2007 Provincial Throne Speech announcement which committed the Province to the development of a coastal management framework by 2009. The development of this response will include province-wide consultation with Coalition members and possibly a second coastal forum.

The groundswell of Nova Scotians concerned about the future of the Province’s coastal areas and our coastal way of life demonstrates the urgent need for the Province to develop a long-term vision for these areas through the implementation and enforcement of a comprehensive provincial coastal policy.

By drawing on its own expertise and its members’ first hand experience with coastal issues, the Coastal Coalition of Nova Scotia can help to accomplish this important task. It can focus concerns about appropriate uses of our coastal areas and contribute to public discussion on coastal management and policy. Further, Coalition members and their local organizations are in effect, the “eyes and ears” of coastal areas, alerting government of inappropriate activities taking place in the coastal zone. As word about the Coalition travels, more and more groups and individuals who care about the coast are working with the Coalition to ensure that both economic and conservation values of coastal areas reflect principles of sustainable development and the long term interests of all Nova Scotians.