Floating Wharf Replacement at Meteghan Small Craft Harbour, Nova Scotia

The proposed project involves the replacement of the existing floating wharves including selected steel anchor piles at the Meteghan Small Craft Harbour in Digby County, NS.  The floating wharf facilities are in three (3) pier configurations oriented perpendicular to the main service area.  Each pier consists of four (4) treated timber floating wharf units connected to five (5) steel anchor piles.  The fairway clearances between the three (3) sets of piers are 41 m and 52 m.  Each pier is connected to concrete abutments at the seaward edge of the service area by 17.5 m-long aluminum gangways.  All floating wharves are at the end of their service lives and anchor piles on the east and west float piers are severely deteriorated and also require replacement.  The pipe piles on the middle float pier were replaced in 2018 and will remain to be re-used on the new float units.  The proposed project involves the complete removal of all floating wharves and the cut-off or removal of all anchor piles on the east and west floating wharf piers.

 

New 407 mm diameter pipe piles will be driven into the substrate to elevations of approximately 10.5 m below chart datum and extend up to 8.5 m above chart datum.  The floating wharf piers will be replaced with similar treated timber floating wharf units 3 m wide and ranging in length from 16.7 m to 18.5 m.  The units will be connected with guide bars to the pipe piles at both ends of each pier and interstitially between each unit and joined together with new chains, brackets and slider plates.  The total length of the east and west floating wharf piers will be 78.5 m, while the middle floating wharf pier will measure 71 m in length.  Each new pier will be reconnected to the shoreline at the edge of the service area by the existing aluminum gangways that will be salvaged for reuse.

 

The proposed project will require large vehicles and equipment including floating plant barge equipment for the pile driving and core drilling operations.  All land-based vehicles and heavy equipment such as excavators, cranes, pile driving and core drilling equipment and trucks will access the site via existing public roads that provide direct access to Meteghan harbour.  The floating plant equipment may consist of sectional barges trucked to the site, unloaded by cranes and assembled in the water or a larger barge towed to the site by tug boat.

 

Construction activities are anticipated to commence in spring 2026 and be completed by the end of March 2027.  Project commencement is, however, subject to DFO-SCH operational priorities and funding, as well as the completion of regulatory approval processes, therefore work may be delayed.  The scope of the impact assessment (subject to the Impact Assessment Act) will, therefore, be based on the works being completed over a period of 6 months commencing within a period of 5 years following finalization of the assessment. 

 

The Meteghan Small Craft Harbour is the largest core fishing harbour in the area that was developed to serve the fishing community year-round.  The main purpose of the proposed project is to replace dilapidated infrastructure to support the continued viability of the harbour for the commercial fishery and the local economy.

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Latest update

Notice of Determination

 

April 22, 2026:  Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Small Craft Harbours (DFO-SCH) as well as Transport Canada have determined that the floating wharf replacement project, located at the Meteghan Small Craft Harbour in Nova Scotia, is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects on areas within federal jurisdiction and can, therefore, proceed.  Environmental effects on areas within provincial jurisdiction will be addressed through applicable provincial legislation and processes.

 

This determination was based on a consideration of the following:

 

  • Potential impacts on rights and interests of Indigenous peoples;
  • Any shared community and Indigenous knowledge;
  • Comments received from the public;
  • Potential impacts to the following environmental components:
    • Air Quality
    • Aquatic Species and Habitat
    • Avian Species and Habitat
    • Health, Social, and Economic Conditions
    • Land and Resource Use for Traditional Purposes
    • Marine Sediments
    • Navigation
    • Physical and Cultural Heritage
    • Sensory Disturbance (air/water, noise, and vibration)
    • Structures, Sites, or Things of Historical, Archaeological, Paleontological, or Architectural Significance
    • Terrestrial Species and Habitat
    • Terrestrial Soils
    • Water (marine, ground, surface, drainage, water levels, flow, etc.)
    • Wetlands; and
  • Application of technically and economically feasible mitigation measures (including but not limited to those listed in the attached document).

 

With this determination, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Transport Canada may exercise any power, perform any duty or function, or provide financial assistance to enable the project to be carried out in whole or in part.

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Key documents

Key documents
Document number Document title File Date
4 MITIGATION MEASURES PDF (226 KB) April 22, 2026
3 Notice of Determination - April 22, 2026
2 End of Public Comment Period - March 23, 2026
1 Notice of Intent to Make a Determination – Start of Public Comment Period - February 20, 2026

Contacts

Planning and Environment Group
Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Small Craft Harbours, Maritimes and Gulf Regions
343 University Avenue
Gulf Fisheries Centre
Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 5K4
Email: DFO.SCHMGEnvironment-MGEnvironnementPPB.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • Meteghan Small Craft Harbour (Nova Scotia)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Ports and Harbours

  • Assessment Status

    Completed

  • Start Date

    2026-02-20

  • Proponent

    Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Small Craft Harbours

  • Authorities

    • Fisheries and Oceans Canada
    • Transport Canada

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    90242

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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