Expropriation step taken to acquire waterfront land for fast ferry service into Halifax

The Nova Scotia government is planning to expropriate land for the Bedford ferry terminal.

After years of negotiations with a Bedford waterfront property owner, Nova Scotia government has initiated plans to expropriate the land if a deal can not be reached.

The province and the Halifax Regional Municipality have been eyeing the property and argue it’s crucial land for building a key piece of rapid transit infrastructure.

Area councillor Jean St-Amand says the Mill Cove Ferry service and terminal is a transformative project that is urgently needed to move people in and out of the metro region.

“The province tries not to exercise this particular sort of power unless it really needs to,” said St-Amand. “And in this case, it’s really just a matter of timelines, which they (the province) are trying exercise for putting a critical piece of infrastructure in.”

The province’s Public Works Department declined an interview but in a statement to CTV News Atlantic, they said expropriation isn’t the preferred approach but negotiations with the company United Gulf Developments have reached an impasse.

“We have been negotiating with the company that owns the land for multiple years,” said the statement. “We need this property to move this project forward and begin construction.”

The Mill Cove Ferry service is being pitched as a key part in easing traffic pressure on Highway 102 and along the Bedford highway into Halifax, which is often backed up with vehicular traffic, especially during rush-hour commutes.

“When it comes to congestion, certainly the water is an unimpeded way into the city, there’s not a lot of traffic out there,” said St-Amand. “And every major city utilizes their water to some extent.”

The province said they are open to continuing negotiations with United Gulf to purchase the six lots, but if an agreement can not be reached, the matter will go before the province’s regulatory and appeals board.

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