Welcome to Nova Scotia, found in the traditional lands of the Mi’kmaw people.
Mi’kma’ki is the Mi’kmaw name given to this region.
This map shows the community groups in Nova Scotia working to bring attention to issues that affect the environment, local economies, health and quality of life. Click on the dots for a summary and links to further information.
The Canso Spaceport
For 5 years Maritime Launch Services have promoted their low-orbit satelite launch facility at Canso. The result so far is a small concrete launch pad, a 20-foot container as office space, 2 student-run mini rocket launch tests and millions of taxpayers dollars in the coffers of MLS. A majority of the community does not support this project. For more information, click here.
Hartlin Point Land-Based Testing Facility
DND, together with Irving Shipyards, is building a high-frequency radar testing facility at Hartlin Point, despite community efforts to move the build to a less-populated location. As of 2026, DND has not received the needed licensing for high-frequency radar and laser testing, yet they have removed all habitiat required for the over 300 species of (mostly migratory) birds that use this site as a staging area, destroyed wetlands and put the already erosion-sensitive shoreline at greater risk. Click here more information
Arlington Heights Construction and Demolition Landfill
Arlington Heights (AH) Construction & Demolition Landfill in Annapolis County buries toxic waste on a mountain that provides water to 25 downslope domestic wells, irrigation ponds for organic farms, and commercial livestock watering facilities. The entire community of St. Croix Cove is at risk. This facilityy is poisoning the community’s water supply and putting the health of 25 families at risk. For more information click here.
Eisners Cove Wetland Housing Development
Eisner Wetland was a pristine mature wetland and supporting forest belt in the heart of the Southdale community of Dartmouth. In 2009, the community made it clear that the wetland was important for flood mitigation and as a recreation area and should be protected. In 2021 Tim Houston’s PC government approved a housing development constructed by Clayton Developments, with the expected results. The community has taken legal action. More details here.
Sandy Lake Regional Park
Sandy Lake Park in Bedford is an intact ecosystem consisting of old growth and mature forest stands with rich and complex biodiverse ecosystems. Negotiations had been on-going for years to extend the park to include the lands at the north end of the lake (an important part of the Sackville River water system). This extension would preserve what is left of the old growth ecosystem in the Sackville River watershed. However, the Housing Task Force has designated that extension as a “Special Planning Area” for housing development. More information here.
Port Wallace Housing Development
The Port Wallace development is adjacent to the historic Montague Gold Mine in Waverly, Nova Scotia (the most poluted historic mine in the province). Barry’s Run is a robust stream that runs from the wetland and fen within the old gold mine site and into Lake Charles. This lake is part of the historic, culturally important and ecologically sensitive Shubenacadie lake chain and river system, which are significant for both the Mi’kmaw Nation and settler communities. More here
Carr Farm Long-care Facility, Fall River
The location and type of Sewage Treatment proposed for the Carr Farm property has been a well-kept secret from the public. A Freedom of Information request has revealed that the outfall for the sewage from 500 apartments and a 144-bed long term care home operated by Northwood Care is currently planning to release into the waters of Lake Thomas at a depth of only 4 metres. This iossue has now been resolved. An in-ground septic system will be installed. More information here
Lake Ainslie clearcutting
Lake Ainslie is the source of fresh water for its surrounding communities and recreational homes. The forest cover on its steep banks provided erosion and silting protection. Intensive clearcutting will affect the water health and the stability of the hills surrounding the lake.
West Mabou Beach Provincial Park
West Mabou Beach Provincial Park has been in the crosshairs of developers 4 times now – three times by the golf course mogels Cabot Group. West Mabou Beach is a designated provincial park that houses unique and important coastal ecosystems. The last bid by Cabot to develop the park as a golf links course was finally put to rest in 2025, but not without strong push-back from the NS public. Efforts are now (2026) underway to strengthen the Provincial Parks Act. More info here
Donkin Coal Mines noise pollution
For years, residents living near the Donkin Mine have endured relentless noise pollution. The tonal noise emitted from the mine’s operations has resulted in chronic sleep deprivation, increased stress levels, and a significant deterioration in both physical and mental health among residents. No community should be expected to live under such conditions.
The Ecology Action Centre has prepared a petition here
The Touquoy Gold Mine
The Touquoy Gold Mine is a massive crater in what was once a rich and biodiverse landscape of woodlands, wetlands, lakes and rivers. It is now a dead zone. The mine is owned and operated by Atlantic Gold, who are planning to open 2 more mines in the forests of eastern Nova Scotia. More details to follow.
The Cochrane Hill Gold Mine
Cochrane Hill gold mine is owned by St Barbara, an Australian mining company. Atlantic Gold (a daughteer company, who also operates the Touquoy mine and plans to operate the proposed Beaver Dam and Five-Mile Stream mines) allowed their environmental assessment process to lapse, leaving concerned communities with the false hope that this mine was off the table. But St Barbara is still telling their investers that Cochrane Hill is a go.
Goldboro Gold Mine
Goldboro gold mine is owned and operated by NexGold, a Canadian company out of Toronto, established in 2024. Like St Barbara / Atlantic Gold they are targeting deposits mostly on crown land with a push to acquire the necessary extra private lands for this collosal open pit mine. The mine will be located 1.6 km north of the town of Goldboro and will alter and /or destroy 120 wetlands and watercourses, including important fish habitat.
Fifteen Mile Stream Gold Mine
The Fifteen Mile Stream gold mine is one of the “string of pearls” (Touquoy, Beaver Dam, Fifteen Mile Stream) that is being proposed by St. Barbara / Atlantic Gold, despite opposition form communities and the Mi’kmaw Nation.
Proposed Beaver Dam Mine
The proposed mine will be right on the edge of the Killag River, a tributary of the West River, and will put at risk 16 years and millions of public and private dollars worth of work by the Nova Scotia Salmon Association (NSSA) and its partners to lime the river and help its salmon population recover from acid rain, The Halifax Examiner reported about it here.
Coxheath Copper Mine
Nova Copper is proposing to buy municipal land to mine copper. The operation will be located at the top of Coxheath mountain. The water generated in this watershed flows directly into the wells of surrounding residents. The impact that mining by-products such as arsenic and mercury as well as production chemicals would have on the community’s drinking water and the sensitive ecosystems of Blacketts Lake and East Bay is of great concern. More information here
Windy Ridge power for export
One of many ambitious (and subsidy-staking) wind projects that will generate electricity to produce hydrogen that will be converted into ammonia that will, in turn be exported to Europe for use in fertiliser and/or electricity. The project will construct 50 turbines, producing 340 MW on 21,800 acres. This project is a consortium of EverWind Fuels, Paq’tnek FN, Potlotek FN and Windfield. More information here
Bear Head wind power for export
Another wind project designed to generate power for hydrogen production that will be converted to ammonia for export to Europe. The project will construct 100 turbines, producing 500MW on 45,000 acres of crown land. More information here.
Websters Corner wind for export
Another Bear Head Energy project that aims to build 100 turbines, producing 500MW on 22,000 acres. Aprox 13,200 acres on crown land. The power generated will be used for the production of hydrogen / ammonia for export. More information here
Membertou-Kmtnuk wind for export
An EverWind/Membertou project to build 16 turbines – that will produce 98 MW on 6,968 acres (of which aprox 6,104 areas is crown land) to generate electricity for the production of hydrogen / ammonia for export. More information here.
Bear Lake wind for export
An EverWind / Membertou project to build 15 turbines near Bear Lake at the intersection of West Hants, Chester and Halifax counties. The project expects to generate 89 MW on 6540 acres (about 3,488 on crown land) for the production of hydrogen / ammonia for export. More info here
EverWind project 1 Upper Afton (wind for export)
For this project, EverWind Fuels has partnered with Membertou, Paq’tnek and Potlotek First Nations to build 84 turbines that will produce 500MW situated on 20,964 acres crown land. The Mira Falls trailhead is within the boundaries of this project. More information here.
EverWind Project 2 (wind for export)
EverWind has partnered with Membertou, Paq’tnek and Potlotek First Nations to generate wind energy for hydrogen / ammonia export to Europe. The project will construct 160 turbines to produce 950MW on 73,947 acres of crown land. More details here
EverWind project 3 (wind for export)
EverWind Fuels has partnered with Membertou, Paq’tnek and Potlotek First Nations to contruct 160 wind turbines on 63,969 acres of crown land. The project will generate 950MW for production of hydrogen / ammonia that will be exported to Europe or other markets. More details here
EverWind Fuels
EverWind Fuels is a subsidery of 3 US companies that plans to generate hydrogen from wind energy produced on land from various wind projects in Nova Scotia. The hydrogen will be converted into ammonia to be shipped to Europe and other markets.The ammonia will be used in the production of fertilizer and/or converted to electricity. NS needs wind energy, but this project will not produce electricity for the NS grid. More information here
Bear Hear Hydrogen Plant
Bear Head Energy is proposing two wind projects for NS, to produce “clean energy” that will be used soley for the production of hydrogen and ammonia. More info here
Simply Blue wind for hydrogen
Simply Blue – an Ireland-based company – proposes to build 100 turbines on crown land to produce “Sustainable Aviation Fuel” and methonol from hydrogen, using “sustainable biomass” (clearcutting), water and wind to produce the hydrogen. The turbine project is close to the Big Bog and Liscomb wilderness areas. More details here
Proposed Beals Brook Wilderness Area
The 24 hectare forest just to the west of Beals Brook is essential to wildlife, including the endangered mainland moose. This is an amazing area of intact mature and old growth forests that should be designated wilderness area as part of teh government’s committment to protect 20% of Nova Scotia’s lands and waters by 2030. Yet this area remains in the crosshairs of the logging industry. More information here
Goldsmith Lake Proposed Wilderness Area
The Citizen Scientists of Southwest Nova submitted a proposal to protect an area of 3900 ha of Crown land surrounding Goldsmith Lake, in order to protect the 123 confirmed occurrences of species at risk. Thirty-one stands of old growth forest are now recognized by DNR within the proposed protected area. Despite the important conservation value of this area, logging permits have been granted for high production forestry (clearcutting and glyphosate spray treatment). More information is available here
Ingram River Wilderness Area
“The proposed Ingram River Wilderness Area is a community-based initiative with over 50 supporting organizations and businesses. Located on the outskirts of Halifax, the proposed Wilderness Area presents a vision of renewal that is right for our time.” Ingram River Wilderness Area
Owls Head Provincial Park
Owls Head Provincial Park is a Tier 1 designated park (indicating its ecologial signifcance), yet it was secretly removed from the parks and protected areas list and offered for sale to a rich American who planned to turn the area into an elite golf course and gated community. Nova Scotians didn’t buy it and not only stopped the sale, but caused the Liberal Party MLAs their seats. Story here
Minamkeak Lake Watershed Protection
The Bridgewater Watershed, and the mature forests that surround it are too ecologically important to log. The watershed is also the last remaining habitat of the Atlantic Whitefish in the world! It is a beautiful, mature forest that provides abundant ecological and recreational value, and is home to other at-risk species, too. More info here
Hunters Mountain
Land protectors, including settler supporters, gathered peacefully at Hunter’s Mountain to protect the sacred hunting grounds from clearcutting and resource extraction. Tim Houston’s PC government then imposed a 6-months sentence and a $50,000 fine for anyone blocking a logging road on crown land. This action resulted in a rally in Nov 2025 with 500 people in attendance. The education centre built by land protectors at the Hunter’s Mountain site has since been destroyed by fire. An investigation is pending
Open Pen Fish Farms in Liverpool Bay
Kelly Cove Salmon (Cooke Aquaculture) has applied to expand net pen salmon farm operations in Liverpool Bay. Specifically, Beach Meadows, Mersey Point and Brooklyn are named on the application. The expansion will total up to 60 pens, which translates to upwards of 1.98M more salmon. Communities are concerned about increased fouling of the ocean floor, high risk of salmon escapes and increased risk of damaging wild salmon stocks. More information here
Open Pen fish farms in Aspotogan Bay
Kelly Cove Salmon, a subsidiary of Cooks Seafood, has been granted a licence for their Saddle Island open pen fish tanks for another 10 years. Concerned communities continued to lobby governments, expressing concern for increased pollution, fouling, impacts on lobster and the endangered wild salmon stocks and effects on tourism and local economy. More info here.
Winsdor Aboiteau closed to fish passage
The Avon River is a tidal river, flowing inland from the Bay of Fundy. The aboiteau or fish passage allows the returning gaspereau to pass through the opening to reach water further inland to spawn. Closing the aboiteau has led to massive fish deaths. More to this story here
Little Crescent Beach
Little Crescent Beach was well-loved by the community but is now no longer available to the general public. A developer from Halifax has built summer residences on the beach, adversely affecting the saltmarsh and using rock armour to protect the buildings from the ocean’s erosive energy. This development would not have been possible had the Coastal Protection Act been proclaimed, as promised in 2021. More information here.
Eagle Head Beach
Eagle Head Beach is a narrow strip of beach in Queens County on the south shore of Nova Scotia. Peter Kelly, former mayor of Halifax, bought this strip and constructed an enormous residence on it, rock armouring to project his investment. This would not have been possible if the government has proclaimed the Coastal Protection Act as promised during the 2021 election. More information here
Cherry Hill Beach
Cherry Hill was a popular beach in Lunenburg County but it is no longer accessible due to private development. This would have been stopped, had the government proclaimed the Coastal Protection Act as promised in the lead-up to the 2021 elections. More info available here
Northern Pulp and Paper Mill
The Northern Pulp mill in Pictou County opened in 1967 (then owned by Scott Paper of Philadelphia). For more than half a century, it polluted air and water in Nova Scotia, heavily influenced provincial forestry policies and successive governments, absorbed untold hundreds of millions of dollars in loans, grants, tax breaks and perks, introduced clearcutting, conifer plantation forestry and herbicide (glyphosate) spraying, and it spawned wave after wave of protest. Now closed, the mill and it’s owners Paper Excellence continue to leave behind a trail of controversy. Check here for more information
Uranium mining and exploration in Louisville
The proclaimation of Bill 6 on Marchh 26, 2025, repealed the 45-year moritorium on uranium exploration and mining in Nova Scotia, the 25-year ban on hydraulic frackering (Fracking) and open the province up to the exporation and mining of other marketable minerals such as lithium. All without substantial community and Mi’kmaw consultation. More on the continuing saga here
Millet Brook uranium mine
The proclaimation of Bill 6 on Marchh 26, 2025, repealed the 45-year moritorium on uranium exploration and mining in Nova Scotia, the 25-year ban on hydraulic frackering (Fracking) and open the province up to the exporation and mining of other marketable minerals such as lithium. All without substantial community and Mi’kmaw consultation. More on the continuing saga here
East Dalhousie Uranium
The proclaimation of Bill 6 on Marchh 26, 2025, repealed the 45-year moritorium on uranium exploration and mining in Nova Scotia, the 25-year ban on hydraulic frackering (Fracking) and open the province up to the exporation and mining of other marketable minerals such as lithium. All without substantial community and Mi’kmaw consultation. More on the continuing saga here
Mount Uniack Quarry expansion
Purcells Cove Backlands
The “Backlands”, located only a few kilometers from from peninsular Halifax (Nova Scotia), are a Thompsonesque urban wilderness of approximately 1350 hectares which include nine lakes, hills with spectacular views and dozens of kilometers of informal hiking and biking trails. Erratic blocks, whalebacks and boulder fields are prominent features of the glacially scoured landscape. A gem to be treasured, yet The Backlands are under constant threat of development. More inforamtion here.
Dartmouth Cove
Atlantic Road Construction and Paving (ARCP) has applied to infill Dartmouth Cove with pyritic slate. To do this, the company would have to cross easements owned by the City of Halifax and public lands, requiring permission to do so. In addition, the infilling will require DFO permits. The community is pushing back to protect the Cove and the Harbour Trail that runs along the Dartmouth side of the Harbour. And coincidently, the CEO of ARCP is a personal friend of Tim Houston, the Premier of Nova Scotia.