I come to you as the representative of the members of the community of Little Harbour – Lower L’Ardoise Nova Scotia.  Our groups vision is to have the toxic tidal pond in Little Harbour remediated.  I will provide a short overview below.

In the fall of 2019, a letter was sent to various Government Officials about the status of Little Harbour tidal pond.  Basically, it had become a toxic pool of rotting seaweed etc that would not flush like a tidal should.  The smell is something akin to rotten eggs (sulphur) with a hint of a compost heap.  The smell is so bad on some days (more now in 2021) that we are not able to sit outside our homes or open our windows. 

After a lot of back and forth with various Government departments on who is responsible for the tidal pond, we were able to have a conversation with Paul Gentile – Area Director, Eastern Nova Scotia, Fisheries and Oceans and Brenda Alexander – Area Manger, Small Craft Harbours.  They arranged for a study to be done by Scott Burley Environmental Specialist Public Services and Procurement Canada 902-237-5392 for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans - Small Craft Harbours. The cost of this study and recommended resolution cost the department $16,100.00 which was paid.  The recommendation was discussed with the government officials and members of our committee, and it was accepted that it should be done.  The cost for the work to be done is $191,000.00.  It was not possible to get any level of government to commit to this money.  Liberal MP Mike Kelloway said that when the Federal Budget passed in parliament this past June that he would ensure that there would be funds for this project.  Though Mike Kelloway did announce multi-million-dollar funding for the wharf in Little Harbour The budget has passed and there were no monies for our tidal pond.  We have had no response from Mike Kelloway in this regard despite our emails to him.  We have recently contacted the 4 people running in the Provincial Election for Richmond County and have only received replies from the PC and Liberal Candidates who said if they are elected, they would look into funding for this.

I would personally like to invite you to come to Little Harbour, Lower L’Ardoise and see the state of our tidal pond and take in the toxic smell.  Please contact me by any of my contact means and we can set up a viewing.  We as a community would love to see an end to this. The cost of this work is a drop in the bucket to the Multi-Million Dollars that have been allocated for the wharf that the pond abuts.  Supporting documents are available if required.