Ottawa begins $9-million wharf project in Glace Bay

The federal government has begun construction of a new 174-metre marginal wharf and upgraded electrical and lighting systems at the Glace Bay Small Craft Harbour in Nova Scotia.

According to the announcement, the project has been awarded to Zutphen Contractors for nearly $9 million and is expected to be completed in summer 2027. The harbour is a core fishing facility in eastern Nova Scotia, serving commercial lobster harvesters and other users year-round.

The funding is part of expanded federal investment in the Small Craft Harbours Program, which received an additional $957.8 million over five years through the 2026 Spring Economic Update. The funding is intended to support repairs and infrastructure improvements at fishing harbours across Canada.

According to the release, the new wharf will improve the safety, reliability and condition of harbour infrastructure used by commercial harvesters. The government said the project will help support the commercial fishery and local economic activity in the region for years to come.

Canada’s fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors support nearly 68,000 jobs and generated $8.47 billion in seafood exports in 2025, according to the release. Fisheries and Oceans Canada manages approximately 935 harbours that support the landing of about 90 per cent of Canada’s fish products.

“Harvesters in Glace Bay fish some of the richest waters off Nova Scotia. They need a wharf they can count on, and this new wharf gives them a safer, more reliable place to work and supports the families and businesses that depend on the fishery,” said Joanne Thompson, minister of fisheries.