Investments to help protect Pointe du Chêne Wharf from extreme weather

SHEDIAC (GNB) - The provincial and federal governments have announced funding to help restore infrastructure at the Pointe-du-Chêne Wharf and protect it from extreme weather.

"We are responding to the impact of climate change by investing in projects like the upgrades to the Pointe-du-Chêne harbour infrastructure," said Indigenous Affairs Minister Réjean Savoie, who is also minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation. "The upgrades will protect the wharf from the type of damage experienced during hurricane Fiona. This investment will help new businesses locate on the wharf and protect existing businesses during storm events, which will have a positive economic spinoff for both the region and the province."

The project includes improving the wharf access, walking paths and parking areas, in addition to repairing damage to the deck and buildings. Restoration of the breakwater and shoreline will continue this winter to be ready for next summer's tourism season.

"The path forward was not always easy to find in the wake of hurricane Fiona, but the individuals, businesses and communities that rely on the wharf have worked tirelessly to recover and become more resilient," said federal Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc. "Today's announcement will ensure the wharf can host visitors and watercrafts for decades to come with added protections against future climate-related storms."

LeBlanc spoke on behalf of federal Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings, who is also minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

The provincial government, through the Regional Development Corporation, is providing $2,300,000 to the Pointe-du-Chêne Harbour Authority for the project. The federal government is contributing $7,640,810 through ACOA.

"The establishment of the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Program by the Government of Canada was a godsend for the harbour authority," said Pointe-du-Chêne Harbour Authority president Kim Murray-Atkinson. "The damages incurred by the harbour authority property were extensive and it is questionable that we could have opened the wharf to the visiting public and various stakeholders for the 2023 season. The Fiona program allowed the harbour authority to substantially improve the resilience of the wharf infrastructure. This will enable the said infrastructure to better withstand the impacts of future major storms."