MacKay awaiting final repair cost on Digby wharf

By John DeMings

FOR THE SOU’WESTER

Digby’s wharf got a visit in early March from Peter MacKay, with a promise of financial assistance to come.

MacKay, the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, said the federal government is aware the wharf is the lifeblood of the community, and that it is in poor shape.

“We all know this wharf is not going to be able to remain in that condition much longer. Anyone who’s grown up in Atlantic Canada knows the wrath of Mother Nature can come up pretty quickly,” said MacKay.

He said he would return to Digby with an announcement once Ottawa receives the information it needs and there is a final cost of repairs.

“I know that that has to come sooner rather than later. The people here have been waiting for a long time.”

The minister was invited by the Digby Harbour Port Association to visit the wharf and he spent about 15 minutes at noon hour on March 2 walking the facility. MacKay had driven down from Pictou in a snowstorm to make the visit, and his arrival surprised many who thought he might cancel the trip.

He also met, prior to the wharf visit, with an area group trying to maintain the ferry link between Digby and Saint John, N.B.

After his wharf inspection, MacKay spoke to about 30 local officials, port association representatives and others interested in the wharf.

“We’re all aware just how important this is to this community, which was why I wanted to come here today to tell you there is progress being made to the point where I hope to be here in the near future with an announcement as to the resources that will be dedicated to make this wharf a viable going concern again.”

The port association commissioned a survey that estimated a repair bill of $9.1 million for the wharf. MacKay said the survey information would help determine what has to be done first.

“A project of this size has to be prioritized. From what I’ve seen and heard…the priority appears to be the central part of the dock and that is to ensure that those inside this enclosure that those ships are going to be safe.”

He said the port association has already had financial assistance from ACOA, “and they will continue to get support from the federal government because we believe this is absolutely the right thing to do.”

ACOA made a business loan of $850,000 to help the local port association buy the wharf in December from its previous owners, Maritime Harbours Society.

MacKay said a study on how to ensure the future of the wharf reviewed the wharf business plan and its economic viability, and looked at other small harbours and other community groups to see how they manage.

“There’s a wealth of knowledge and this consultant’s report recommended clearly what we all know has to happen and that is that an engineer has to be hired to survey the wharf, file a report on the repairs and get on with it,” said MacKay.

ACOA has provided an additional $150,000 to fund this engineering study to determine the extent of the repairs that have to be done and estimate the costs that are involved, he said.

He criticized efforts of West Nova’s MP, Liberal Robert Thibault, who he said should be investigating what happened to the $3 million that was provided the former owners for repairs and maintenance to the wharf.

“I can’t describe what has happened here as anything short of tragic,” he said.

“I was here about a year ago and it’s deteriorated further and it comes back time and time again to the money that was specifically earmarked for this wharf. I sit on the Treasury Board so I know full well the history that went into this particular project and it’s inexcusable that that money was not spent for the purpose for which it was intended. And that makes it doubly hard to get money earmarked again for the same purpose. “