Funding announcements were coming fast and furious this spring for small craft harbour projects following the federal government’s Spring Economic Update released on April 28, which included almost $1 billion over five years to repair, maintain and modernize small craft harbours across the country.
And there will be more to come, said Chris d’Entremont, MP for Acadie-Annapolis in Western Nova Scotia, whose “phone has been ringing off the hook” since the increase to the Small Craft Harbour budget was announced.
D’Entremont said the early announcements are small craft harbour projects that had all the prep work done and were ready to call, while others still need to be worked on.
“Right now, there are six or seven projects in our area, a bunch of little projects that sort of need that prep work. We’re looking at 14 or 15 that we’re going to be funding soon,” he said.
“Everybody has something, has some kind of request in and a lot of cases it’s deferred maintenance — something that should have been done years ago, but there was no funding for it so they ignored it. Some of it is climate change. The erosion of time. Some of the wharves were built in the 1960s. Some are older. They weren’t built to withstand the height of the seas and strength of the storms we’ve been having over the past few years and the size of the boats. Back in the 1960s, a lobster boat wasn’t very big. Today they are well over 15 tonnes, 50 feet by 30 feet. The wharves weren’t built to withstand the force or the weight of the new lobster boats, so it’s causing a fair amount of damage to those structures,” d’Entremont said.
Larger projects, like breakwaters or entire wharf replacements, are currently being assessed, said d’Entremont. I’m hoping in year two we can get a couple of them. The list goes on. We just need to prioritize them,” he said.
The new funding represents an increase of more than 35 per cent per year over the 10-year average, the largest sustained investment in over a decade, and provides needed stability in funding for repairs. The funding is in addition to the Department’s annual program budget of approximately $90 million a year. The funding will support harbour maintenance and repair across Canada, including ongoing Hurricane Fiona recovery work in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Québec begun under the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund and Budget 2024.
Between May 7 and 22, funding for eight projects had been announced for commercial fishing wharves in Atlantic Canada.
On May 7 in Sambro, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Minister Joanne Thompson announced funding for the reconstruction of wharf structure 402, a portion of the main wharf at Sambro Harbour and floats 802.
On May 8, funding was announced for Ingalls Head Harbour and North Head in Grand Manan, N.B. The Ingalls Head project consists of advanced planning and reconstruction of wharf structure 401, which is home port to 53 commercial vessels that mainly fish lobster. For North Head, the project will allow for planning and reconstruction of T-wharf 401 B, as well as design and planning for replacement of wharf structures 401 A, 401 C and 402. At North Head, lobster is also the main fishery for the 121 commercial vessels at the site.
Also, on May 8, a strategic investment in the Ship Cove small craft harbour in Port de Grave, Newfoundland and Labrador, was highlighted by Thompson. This strategic investment in Ship Cove will see the removal of the existing finger pier and marginal wharf and the construction of a new finger pier and marginal wharf on the same property, in a different location than the current one. This new construction will provide additional berthage and protection for the harvesters.
“Over a decade in the making, this project is a major milestone for the community of Port de Grave and for one of the busiest fishing areas in Newfoundland and Labrador. Backed by our government’s nearly $1 billion investment in small craft harbours through the Spring Economic Statement, this project will help increase capacity, ease pressure on the main harbour and helps keep fish harvesters working close to home. It will also create the right conditions for new private investment, strengthening the local seafood sector, supporting good jobs and delivering lasting economic benefits for the region. For years to come. I want to congratulate the Harbour Authority for their years of tireless advocacy, not just for this project, but for every harvester in Port de Grave and the sector,” said Avalon MP Paul Connors in a media release.
On May 19, funding was announced for Port Morien harbour for the reconstruction of the main breakwater (301). Port Morien harbour is home to 15 commercial fishing vessels. The main fishery is lobster.
On May 21, Minister Thompson and South Shore-St. Margarets MP Jessica Fancy highlighted the Central Port Mouton Small Craft Harbour project that will receive funding to allow for the reconstruction of floating dock system 802 and the options analysis for breakwater 302. This harbour is home to 54 vessels that fish mainly lobster.
“Port Mouton fishermen’s wharf was identified early on as a priority for repairs. Last year, Minister Thompson and I visited the site and saw firsthand the need for investment to support the fishers and community members who rely on this important infrastructure every day. I’m proud that our advocacy in Ottawa helped secure critical funding for Small Craft Harbours across Canada, especially here in South Shore-St. Margarets, where these harbours are vital to our coastal communities, supporting local jobs, the fishing industry and helping build a stronger Canada for the future. It’s fitting that we begin today in Port Mouton, where these upgrades will make a meaningful difference,” said Fancy.
On May 22, Minister Thompson was joined by d’Entremont for two announcements in the Acadie-Annapolis riding.
An investment at Meteghan harbour will support the replacement of floats and piles for structures 802 and 805, as well as the replacement of float structure 803. The project will also allow for repairs to the H-piles on wharf structure 403. Meteghan is home to 90 vessels and the main fisheries are lobster and groundfish. There are also aquaculture vessels at the site. Funding was also announced for Camp Cove Harbour in Lower Argyle for the reconstruction of wharves 401 and 402. There are 53 vessels at the harbour and the main fisheries are lobster and groundfish.
“Communities across Acadie-Annapolis depend on strong and reliable harbour infrastructure to support their livelihoods and local economies. This investment will help ensure Camp Cove wharf (and) Meteghan wharf remain safe to support harvesters, workers and local families for years to come. By strengthening small craft harbours, we’re strengthening the economic future of coastal Nova Scotia,” said d’Entremont in a media release.
“Small craft harbours are the foundation coastal fishing communities are built on. Harvesters across Canada rely on them every single day, and so do the communities around them. This is the largest investment ever made in small craft harbours, and I’m proud our government is delivering it. Keeping harbours safe and operational means keeping coastal economies alive, and that’s what building Canada strong actually looks like,” said Minister Thompson.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada manage close to 950 harbours valued at approximately $7.1 billion — infrastructure that lands and supports roughly 90 per cent of Canada’s fish harvest and underpins the country’s seafood economy, through DFO’s Small Craft Harbours Program.
Small craft harbours support more than 45,000 jobs in the fish and seafood industry, with thousands more in shipbuilding, processing, tourism and the supply chains that keep rural and coastal communities running.
Canada’s commercial fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors support nearly 65,000 jobs — including more than 42,900 commercial fish harvesters — from coast to coast to coast. In 2025, Canada’s fish and seafood exports totaled $8.47 billion.
