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Province Receives Approval for Avon River Aboiteau Construction

  • Apr 2
  • 2 min read

PUBLIC WORKS--Province Receives Approval for Avon River Aboiteau Construction-------------------


The Province has received approval from the federal government to begin replacing the Avon River aboiteau in Hants County.


Constructing the new aboiteau will allow the Highway 101 twinning project through the Windsor area to be completed. The work will include construction of two highway bridges, the aboiteau, a new control building and permanent dikes, as well as realignment of the Avon River estuary channel.


“We have been seeking approval on this project since 2020, and I am glad that we have come to an agreement that will allow us to get this job done,” said Hants West MLA Melissa Sheehy-Richard, on behalf of Public Works Minister Fred Tilley. “We have looked at all options, and the result is a solution that delivers flood protection while also improving fish passage.”


The aboiteau design, approved under the Fisheries Act, will enable the aboiteau to operate under a range of water management scenarios to allow for greater flexibility and adaptability in the future.


Construction is expected to take about three years, and future operations will include a long-term monitoring plan to evaluate the aboiteau’s impact on fish passage and the environment.


Quick Facts:

  • an aboiteau is a gated structure that controls tidal flow

  • this was the fourth proposal the Province submitted to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) since 2020

  • the aboiteau was constructed in the late 1960s and is at the end of its intended design life

  • the existing aboiteau and causeway function as a system that prevents tidal water from flowing upstream, protecting community infrastructure and 1,619 hectares of agricultural marshland from saltwater flooding

  • Fisheries Act authorization is required by DFO for work that may impact fish or fish habitat


Additional Resources:

Statement from federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Bu5xn8jDa/


Department of Public Works on X: https://x.com/NS_PublicWorks

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Media Contact: Gary Andrea                              

Cell: 902-456-6196                            

 

 

 
 
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