The project will see the safe placement of fill material into a 2.7-hectare water lot in Dartmouth Cove, in a strip of land that extends about 90 metres from the shoreline. Once complete, this project will create approximately 18,250 m² of useable land for future development. This project will make development in the city possible, more affordable, sustainable, and create enhanced waterfront access and land suitable for future development for the benefit of the community.

For additional information about this project, please visit our project application here

This project proposes to add a strip of land along the shoreline that will extend the site by approximately 90 metres. This will create approximately 18,250 m² of usable land available for future development.

Infilling at the project site will take less than two years and may be done as quickly as one year. The complete duration of the project, including environmental monitoring may be up to six years.

If the project proceeds as planned, we will keep the trail open and maintain access for most of the project. There may be times when this section of the trail isn’t accessible for safety reasons during the construction period. During these periods, alternative routes will be available for pedestrians to access.

Development planning is still in early stages, and we are committed to engaging with the city, local community, and First Nations and welcome ideas and feedback for the future use of the site.

The water lot is located in an area of Dartmouth Cove with a 100-year history as a disposal site for raw sewage and other industrial activity, which make it of relatively poor quality and low productivity to support significant populations of marine life. Once filled, it will create enhanced waterfront access for future development in the heart of the Dartmouth Waterfront, building on the growth and momentum in the area while maintaining the walking trail and access to the waterfront

The materials used in this project incudes rock that is excavated from the ground during construction, and quarry rock. The excavated material includes pyritic slate, which is a naturally occurring acid-bearing rock that is common in Halifax and Dartmouth. When it is exposed to air and precipitation, it produces acid runoff that enters our waterways and is harmful to the surrounding environment. The safest place to dispose of this slate is saltwater because it neutralizes contaminants that would otherwise pollute the area surrounding onshore disposal sites. The pyritic slate will be encased by quarry rock that is free from pollutants.

Fill will be transported to the offload area by tandem trucks, and an excavator will be used to push infill into the water lot.

A silt curtain will be installed around the outer limit of the infill area prior to starting any work. Infilling activities will be strictly monitored, and additional steps will be taken to ensure infill material remains within the designated project area.

Pyritic slate is naturally acidic, and the low oxygen levels in saltwater are ideal for neutralizing the potentially harmful effects of the slate. In a landfill, the slate remains acidic and can leach acid into nearby groundwater, rivers, or lakes. Placing the pyritic slate in saltwater is the safest way to neutralize the rock and minimize environmental impacts.

The marine habitat in the area has been impacted by many years of sewage disposal and industrial activity; nevertheless, we are fully committed to offsetting project impacts to any marine life in the area by the creation of enhanced marine habitats to support fish and other marine life.

We are in early stages of this project. We understand that the community is concerned and wants more information about this project. We are committed to providing additional information and meaningful engagement opportunities with the community, government, and First Nations as we move through this process.

Similar projects have been completed at several sites around the Halifax Harbour in recent years like King’s Wharf in Dartmouth, Bedford Basin, and Bishops Landing in Halifax. These sites have since been converted into both public community spaces and residential housing.

We will be following all existing construction bylaws currently in place for construction activities in the HRM. These bylaws include considerations for both noise and dust caused by construction.

Your feedback is important to us. If you would like to comment, provide feedback, or ask a question about this project, please use the contact form at the bottom of this page.