Canada Breaks Ground on New Marginal Wharf at Glace Bay Harbor in Nova Scotia

16 October 2026
Edited By: Haley McQueen

Small craft harbors are vital infrastructure that support Canada's commercial fishing and aquaculture sectors, helping sustain coastal communities and local economies from coast to coast to coast. Together, Canada's fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood processing industries support nearly 68,000 jobs and generated $8.47 billion in seafood exports in 2025.

In addition to Budget 2024 investments, as part of the Spring Economic Update 2026, the Government of Canada has committed a further $957.8 million over five years, starting in 2026–27, for the Small Craft Harbours Program. This will provide funding for ongoing repairs, in addition to Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) existing annual program budget of approximately $90 million.

Member of Parliament for Sydney—Glace Bay, Mike Kelloway, on behalf of the Honorable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, announced that the Government of Canada has begun construction of a new 174-meter marginal wharf in Glace Bay, as well as a new electrical and lighting system at the harbor. The project was awarded to Zutphen Contractors for nearly $9 million. Work is expected to be completed in summer 2027.

The Glace Bay Small Craft Harbor is a significant core fishing harbor in Eastern Nova Scotia and is primarily used for inshore lobster fishing. Operated by the Harbour Authority of Glace Bay, the harbor serves the area’s fishing community year-round. Funded through Budget 2024, this investment is making the harbor safer and more reliable for the commercial harvesters who use it every day. These improvements will help ensure the harbor can continue to support the commercial fishery and other users for years to come.

The fishing industry is central to coastal communities in Nova Scotia and across Canada, and harvesters need safe and reliable small craft harbors. This project advances Canada’s competitiveness and economic growth while supporting the communities that depend on these harbors. As Canada transforms from economic reliance to resilience, this investment will support local economic development for generations to come.

“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. I’m grateful to the Harbour Authority of Glace Bay and harbor users for working alongside us on this project,” said the Honorable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries.

“The work being done at Glace Bay Harbor is an important investment in both the future of the harbor and the community it serves. For generations, this harbor has supported local fishers, families and our economy, and these improvements will help ensure it remains safe, reliable and able to support the people who depend on it for years to come. This is about protecting an important piece of Glace Bay’s working waterfront while creating opportunities for the next generation,” said Mike Kelloway, Member of Parliament for Sydney–Glace Bay and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport.

Quick Facts

The project is improving the condition, safety, and reliability of essential harbor infrastructure for commercial harvesters and other users.

Funding for DFO’s Small Craft Harbor projects will see an increase of more than 35 percent over a 10-year average under the Spring 2026 Economic Update. That funding is supporting necessary harbor maintenance and repairs across Canada, including in Nova Scotia.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada manages close to 935 harbors valued at approximately $7.1 billion—infrastructure that supports the landing of roughly 90 percent of Canada’s fish products and underpins the country’s seafood economy.