Climate change: N.S. announces resources for coastal communities to protect themselves

Nova Scotia is funding coastal communities’ efforts to protect themselves.

The Nova Scotia government has released new tools and example bylaws to help coastal communities and property owners protect themselves from the effects of climate change.

“Today marks another step forward in safeguarding coastal communities and homes,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Timothy Halman in a news release Tuesday.

“We need to rethink how and where we build to keep ourselves, our homes and communities safe and sustainable in the face of global climate change.”

The province says the new land-use example bylaws provide flexible options municipalities can use to regulate development along the coast to protect homes, buildings and other infrastructure from flooding, erosion and rising sea levels.

The example bylaws include regulatory options for municipalities to:

• create a defined area where their coastal protection regulations would apply
• set a minimum building elevation to protect from coastal flooding-create a buffer zone to protect buildings from coastal erosion

The province also announced more funding for the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities:

• $1 million over three years to help municipalities adopt the example bylaw text and customize it to their needs and climate change impacts
• $344,106 to create a climate change policy and sustainability analyst position to support municipalities in their work to make their communities resilient to climate change

“Municipalities play an important role in the protection of our coastlines,” said Juanita Spencer, CEO of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities in the news release.

“Offering example text for land-use bylaws and staff support will provide guidance to municipalities in choosing appropriate policies that reflect community concerns. This is a positive development that will support land-use planning in coastal areas.”

The mayors of Nova Scotia’s two cities – Halifax and Sydney – say the support will help their municipalities adapt and build resilience to climate change.

“These new resources will help municipalities like the CBRM take action now to better protect our infrastructure and natural shoreline, ensuring our communities are preserved for future generations to enjoy for many years to come,” said Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Cecil Clarke.

Clarke added recent storms like Hurricane Fiona have helped prove that different parts of the province might have different needs.

“I’d rather have a plan that is specific to the CBRM and works for the needs of the CBRM than having a cookie-cutter model that just won’t meet the test,” he said.

Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore says the city is on the front lines of climate change.

“These new tools will help the municipality make better decisions about how to approach zoning and development along our coastlines,” said Fillmore.

The province says Upland Urban Planning and Design, a Nova Scotia land-use planning company, prepared the example bylaw text after consulting with municipalities.

Tools for property owners

Tuesday’s announcement also includes new tools for coastal property owners, including:

• a coastal hazard assessment report that gives them information on potential coastal flooding and erosion risks on their property
• a guide on how to use trees, plants and other natural techniques to protect properties from erosion, rising sea levels and flooding

The Nova Scotia government also released a checklist and education video real estate agents can use to help their clients make informed decisions about buying coastal property.

“Educating our community about coastal hazards isn’t about creating fear, it’s about building resilience and ensuring our communities remain safe, sustainable and thriving for the long term,” said Anne Pryde, a realtor and green home specialist with Domus Realty.

Haley Toomey has lived in a cliffside home along the coast in Glace Bay her entire life.

“I love where I live. I love being able to wake up in the morning and the ocean is right there,” said Toomey.

However, Toomey says coastal erosion is a concern, especially with the number of storms she’s experienced in recent years.

“I mean, God forbid if we ever lost our house due to like a natural disaster or anything of the sort. I think we would just kind of have to sit down and say like, ‘Is it safe for me to build here?’” she said.

The province’s coastal hazard mapping tool – first launched in 2024 to show possible coastal flooding for the year 2100 – has been updated to include information for the current year and for the year 2050, along with areas of potential coastal flooding beyond 100 metres inland from the coastline.

“Let’s not forget what the end goal is – don’t build in unsafe areas. And we now have the information out to Nova Scotians to make an informed decision,” said Halman.

The government released The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline: The plan to protect people, homes and nature from climate change, on February 26, 2024.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.

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