‘It’s a waste of a beautiful, beautiful location,’ local laments as iconic lighthouse shutters for the season

A popular Bay of Fundy lighthouse won’t open this season due to budget cuts. Laura Brown reports on why Cape Enrage draws thousand, and what visitors will miss.

CAPE ENRAGE, N.B. – The rugged cliffs and century-old lighthouse get their name from the way the water violently battles the reef, as the tides of the Bay of Fundy rip in and out.

But the iconic Cape Enrage tourism site won’t be open for its usual 20,000 to 25,000 visitors to take in its views this season, after its board of directors says they were denied about $100,000 in provincial funding.

Jim Campbell, who’s worked as an interpretive guide and is currently on the board, says in recent years, the site received $30,000 of funding to open for the season, and then was allotted another $100,000 for any repairs, upgrades and operations.

They received the $30,000. But in a phone call with officials at the department of tourism last week, he says he was informed the rest of the money wasn’t coming.

“It was kind of like getting fired. Short and sweet,” he said.

Campbell said a proposal was made to ask for $20,000 to insure the buildings. Again, he said, the board was denied. In recent years, he added, they’ve made a number of investments into the upkeep and preservation of the site.

They “totally rebuilt” the lighthouse with the provincial funds, he said, including a new kitchen at the restaurant.

The site offers a restaurant, an interpretive centre, fossil tours, zipline and rappelling down one of the magnificent rock cliffs.

Adults were charged $10, seniors $8, and children under 17 were free.

It’s operated as a not-for-profit for almost two decades, and Campbell said the site usually employs between 20 and 25 people – mostly students and seniors.

“I have no idea what the province of New Brunswick’s tourism department has in mind for Cape Enrage. I hope it’s something. And I hope that they plan on keeping it going,” said Campbell. “Right now, it’s certainly not going to be with this present board.”

An information page on New Brunswick’s department of tourism website was accessible on April 22. But when CTV News tried to access it on April 23, the page appeared to be removed.

Tourism Minister Isabelle Thériault said in a statement to CTV News that the situation is “unfortunate.”

“We have been working diligently with them on how best to keep operations running this coming season by offering to continue the $30,000 in operational funding. We remain open to further discussions,” she said.

The province has been battling a historic $1.4 billion deficit, and during the unveiling of the 2026-2027 provincial budget, announced it was divesting some provincially owned museums and heritage sites that see fewer than 5,000 visitors.

Cape Enrage was mentioned as a site that would “remain open while transition discussions take place.”

‘It is magical’

For Linda Vanry, the site holds generations of memories for her and her family.

Vanry, who lives in Moncton, took a trip up to Cape Enrage Thursday to show the views to her brother, who lives in Nova Scotia. While the gates to the buildings and boardwalk are locked, you can see the lighthouse from afar.

“I feel it’s terribly sad,” she said. “It’s a waste of a beautiful, beautiful location for tourists across Canada and the U.S.”

She said for years, her children took school trips to Cape Enrage, even camping along its banks and learning to paint the lighthouse. She said they took family trips every summer too.

Michelle Harvey-Larsen owns a gallery nearby. The long-time Bay of Fundy resident and business owner once dreamed of purchasing the land in the early 2000s, before it was restored by the province.

She’s been on the board of directors for over 15 years and has fond memories of showing off the site to visitors – including on Amazing Race Canada in 2014.

“It is magical,” she said. “We’re hoping somehow that it will reopen in one form or another, that the government will come to their senses and, you know, decide to open it or send some staff or something.”

She said this isn’t taking away the spectacular views of the Bay of Fundy, but it is removing the accessibility of the site.