HALIFAX — A U.S.-based group that wants to build a seaside refuge in Nova Scotia for whales retired from marine parks has signed a 20-year lease for Crown property on the province’s eastern shore. The non-profit Whale Sanctuary Project made the announcement Friday, saying the provincial lease covers 83 hectares of Crown land and coastal waters near the tiny community of Wine Harbour, a three-hour drive east of Halifax. In October, Premier Tim Houston’s cabinet granted approval for the lease, but critics of the project called attention to the fact that the document had not been signed. In June, organizers behind the privately funded project held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site. Work has already begun on refurbishing a wharf that will be used for the sanctuary’s whale-care facilities. The wharf will also serve as a staging area for installation of a huge, floating enclosure that is expected to be the equivalent of 50 football fields. Charles Vinick, CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project, first announced plans for a 40-hectare, saltwater pen more than six years ago, saying the project would be the first of its kind in North America. “This is a landmark moment, not only for the Whale Sanctuary Project, but for everyone who believes there can be a better future for whales living in captivity,” Vinick said in a statement released Friday. “The lease provides the certainty we’ve been working toward for years. It allows us to move confidently into the next phase of construction … and demonstrate that sanctuaries are no longer simply an idea, but an achievable reality.” In 2022, organizers said the enclosure was big enough to hold eight to 10 beluga whales and two or three orcas in a separate area. More recently, they have said the pen would have capacity for 10 orcas or belugas. The animals would not be returned to the wild because they lack survival skills. Lori Marino, president and founder of the Whale Sanctuary Project, said the signing of the lease “reflects a growing recognition that whales who have spent their lives in captivity deserve something fundamentally different.” Installation of the net enclosure is expected to begin next spring. Some landowners in Wine Harbour, however, remain opposed to the project. They say they were betrayed by Houston’s government because they were initially told the project would not win approval unless everyone with adjacent properties provided unanimous consent, which never happened. In October, Houston said the lease was granted anyway because the project had won widespread support and achieving a consensus can be difficult. Tracy Burns-Gagnon, whose family owns an adjacent property, has said she and her relatives will lose access to the ocean if the project becomes a reality. In response, Vinick has said his group has tried to respond to local criticism, adding that plans have been changed to address concerns about increased traffic and the potential for a sudden rush of ecotourists. The project still requires permits from the federal Fisheries Department and plenty of fundraising to cover the $15-million cost of construction and $1.5 million in annual operating expenses. Organizers are not asking for any government funding. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2026. By Michael MacDonald
