West Mabou Beach Provincial Park vs Golf Course

On April 20, 2023, Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton stated that there would be no golf course at West Mabou Beach Provincial Park. This position was reinforced by Premier Houston’s office.

 

West Mabou Beach Provincial Park has been in the crosshairs of developers for a number of years.  Developers have tried to take this public land for private profit—four times now.

In 1989, the Department of Environment prevented a proposed development.

In 2000, the Conservative government of the day not only rejected the proposed development but also designated West Mabou Beach Provincial Park as a Natural Environment Park shortly thereafter.

In 2017/2018, the Cabot Group took a swing, in spite of the park’s protected status. Once again, the government said “no” to the outlandish proposal. But with each new government, it seems that the Cabot Group is trying again.

In October of 2022, the Cabot Group launched another run at this unique and important provincial park, despite having already been turned down by a different provincial government in 2018. This time, the company was looking to lease part of West Mabou Beach Provincial Park to develop a private golf course. Former Conservative Premier Rodney MacDonald was hired to try to push this proposal through.

This is the second time in five years that people in Mabou have had to fight to save their provincial park from the Cabot Group, even though the park is already protected.

Building a golf course in this Natural Environment Park would have dire impacts on the sensitive dune ecosystems, jeopardize the rare and endangered species that depend on this habitat, and set a dangerous precedent for the province, as former government park planner Dale Smith explained

“The Cabot Group’s proposed golf course development would not only be devastating in its impact on West Mabou Beach Provincial Park but also threatens all provincial parks in Nova Scotia… The recent contention around golf course proposals for West Mabou and Owls Head surely must have Nova Scotians, locally in the Mabou area and across the province, wondering if our provincial park properties will ever be truly protected from the ambitions of private developers and the presumed entitlements of political operatives.”​

When the PC government legally protected West Mabou Beach Provincial Park in 2001, Ernie Fage (who was the Minister of Natural Resources at the time) emphasized the importance of the site:

“This property contains one of Nova Scotia’s finest coastal beach and dune systems in a spectacular scenic setting and is a prime example of the type of Crown Land that needs to be protected for future generations. We recognize the need to protect this area in order to preserve its ecological integrity and values.”

For more information, contact or follow Protect West Mabou Beach Provincial Park

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For more information, contact or follow Protect West Mabou Beach Provincial Park