Still no word on results of latest consultation on Coastal Protection Act

The Nova Scotia government is not ready to release the results of the latest round of consultation on the Coastal Protection Act or discuss how that information could affect the legislation’s future.

The act, passed with all-party support in 2019, is intended to outline where and how development can occur near the province’s coastline in a way that protects people, property and the environment from climate change.

But after pledging to bring the new law into effect by early 2023, Environment Minister Tim Halman backtracked on the plan. Last summer, he said he would no longer commit to doing so before the next provincial election, scheduled for the summer of 2025.

Instead, Halman ordered another round of consultation — the third time the legislation has gone to public comment — this time with efforts aimed at coastal property owners.

In November, the minister said he expected to have the results of that survey and a report on the findings from Group ATN Consulting Inc. in December. As of Tuesday, a spokesperson for Halman’s department said there is no news to share.

“This is important to get right,” Elizabeth MacDonald said in a statement.

“We are still finalizing next steps and will have more to share as soon as this work is complete.”

Opposition leaders said Halman and his government have lost all credibility on the issue.

“This is another example of them breaking their word to Nova Scotians,” Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said in an interview.

Churchill said the government is “kicking the can down the road” on an issue that is too consequential for further delays because of the increasing frequency and intensity of storms. The Progressive Conservatives no longer seem interested in proclaiming the act, he said.

“I think it’s either because they have friends or donors that don’t want them to move forward with this or they’re just scared to make a tough decision that’s needed but is controversial.”

NDP Leader Claudia Chender is of a similar mind, despite the fact that the Tories voted in support of the legislation while they were in opposition.

“For whatever reason, this government is delaying putting this act into force and every construction season this act isn’t in force, we have a slew of new and dangerous construction on our coasts that really inhibits our ability to mitigate climate change,” she said in an interview.

Chender noted that the government has disregarded calls from municipal officials — many of whom represent communities in Tory-held districts — for Halman and Premier Tim Houston to proclaim the act to make it easier for them to control the type of development happening along their coastlines.

“I think it’s an embarrassment and I think the minister has a lot to answer for on this file.”

Although Halman justified the third round of consultation by saying it’s important for everyone to have a chance to comment on the act, information obtained by CBC News through an access to information request last year showed the overwhelming majority of people who reached out to the government on the issue called for the Tories to get on with bringing the act into force.