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HALIFAX — The federal government says it will not approve a controversial proposal to infill part of Halifax Harbour in order to facilitate a private development project.
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Joanne Thompson issued a statement Monday afternoon saying the proposed project in an area known as Dartmouth Cove would permanently destroy local marine life and fish habitat.
“I am not convinced that the permanent destruction of the remaining marine life in this portion of the harbour, for private benefit, is required and justified in these particular circumstances,” the minister said in a statement Monday.
“There is no approved project for the newly created land. There is no benefit to the community. It’s infilling for the sake of infilling.”
The area makes up part of the harbourfront near the former City of Dartmouth’s downtown, which is now part of the Halifax Regional Municipality. It’s almost directly across the harbour from downtown Halifax and the two sides are connected by a nearby passenger ferry service.
A company associated with Tom Hickey’s Atlantic Road Construction and Paving owns several properties around the cove. The company has a plan to dump pyritic slate as a base for a future development and has said housing is part of the project.
Pyritic slate is often excavated from building sites and dumped in salt water to prevent the acid of heavy metals from leaching into the environment. The so-called water lots, a relic from before Confederation, come with deeded rights to the adjoining submerged land and typically include provisions to infill above the water line.
City politicians, local residents and environmental groups have opposed the project, partially because it would disrupt a public park and paved walking trail along the shoreline.
The park and trail run along an easement on the private company’s land. Crossing the easement is the most practical way for the firm to access the water that is adjacent to their property.
Atlantic Road’s chief financial officer, Bruce Wood, said in an interview Monday that the company behind the proposal had already planned a lawsuit against Thompson and Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Liberal MP Darren Fisher for alleged political interference. Wood said the company issued notice of its proposed lawsuit on Friday.
“This process has taken two years and they’ve provided no justification for the delay and there are set timelines in the process,” said Wood.
Fisher could not immediately be reached for comment.
The federal permit denial came through at lunch time on Monday, which Wood said is just another delay tactic. He said the company will appeal through the judicial review process.
“The justification they gave for denying it is completely not based in fact,” said Wood. “In the end, this is just a further gross abuse of political power and there will be damages awarded. And the real loser here is the Canadian taxpayer.”
The city passed a bylaw prohibiting Dartmouth Cove infilling in October. The province approved it with certain caveats in November, but has not yet given the bylaw final approval, which would officially ban infilling. Project opponents have pointed to a similar bylaw the city passed in 2024 banning infilling in the Northwest Arm, a sheltered section of Halifax Harbour known for its boating clubs, parks and multimillion-dollar mansions that house some of the wealthiest residents in Halifax.
Jill Brogan, founder of the Save Dartmouth Cove community group, said she’ll let the lawyers and judges figure out the legal repercussions, but for now she’s taking the federal ruling as a big win.
“From a community perspective, we will stay vigilant,” she said in an interview Monday. “We will do everything that we need to do to keep this protected.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2026.
Devin Stevens, The Canadian Press
