Development of a Dredge Material Management Site, Sonora, Nova Scotia

The Small Craft Harbours Branch of Fisheries and Oceans Canada proposes to undertake the development of a dredge material management site intended to be used for long-term storage of sediment derived from maintenance dredging activities conducted at Sonora Small Craft Harbour in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia. Approximately 4,500 m3 of sediment is dredged from the harbour on a four (4) year cycle to ensure safe navigability and berthage of vessels. The recently acquired property (PID #35238096) is intended to be used for long-term storage of sediment dredged from the Sonora SCH.

 

Options for reuse of this dredge material will be explored such that a portion of the material may be stored on site temporarily, however, it is anticipated that the majority of the material will be managed on site over the long-term. 

 

Site works will involve the construction of an access road within the proposed property that will facilitate the transportation of dredge material from the harbour to the selected location within the proposed property that will be designed to store the material. Vegetation in the area will be cleared and soil at the management site will be reworked to create ditches and install silt fencing to manage surface water runoff from the site. As dredged material is intended to be end-dumped at the property and left to dewater, limited excavations are anticipated to be required to prepare the site.

 

The material will be managed within the central portion of the property, which will provide a treed buffer around the containment area that will minimize the view from adjacent properties as well as from Sonora Road. 

 

Construction activities are anticipated to commence in February 2026 and be completed by the end of March 2026.  Project commencement is, however, subject to DFO-SCH operational priorities and funding, as well as the completion of regulatory approval processes, therefore work may be delayed.  The scope of the impact assessment (subject to the Impact Assessment Act) will, therefore, be based on the works being completed over a period of 4 months commencing within a period of 5 years following finalization of the assessment.

More

Latest update

Notice of Determination

 

February 11, 2026:  Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Small Craft Harbours (DFO-SCH) has determined that the development of a dredge material management site in Sonora, Nova Scotia, is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects on areas within federal jurisdiction and can, therefore, proceed.  Environmental effects on areas within provincial jurisdiction will be addressed through applicable provincial legislation and processes.

 

This determination was based on a consideration of the following:

 

  • Potential impacts on rights and interests of Indigenous peoples;
  • Any shared community and Indigenous knowledge;
  • Comments received from the public;
  • Potential impacts to the following environmental components:
    • Air Quality
    • Aquatic Species and Habitat
    • Avian Species and Habitat
    • Health, Social, and Economic Conditions
    • Land and Resource Use for Traditional Purposes
    • Marine Sediments
    • Navigation
    • Physical and Cultural Heritage
    • Sensory Disturbance (air/water, noise, and vibration)
    • Structures, Sites, or Things of Historical, Archaeological, Paleontological, or Architectural Significance
    • Terrestrial Species and Habitat
    • Terrestrial Soils
    • Water (marine, ground, surface, drainage, water levels, flow, etc.)
    • Wetlands; and
  • Application of technically and economically feasible mitigation measures (including but not limited to those listed in the attached document).

 

With this determination, Fisheries and Oceans Canada may exercise any power, perform any duty or function, or provide financial assistance to enable the project to be carried out in whole or in part.

Participate

Key documents

Key documents
Document number Document title File Date
4 MITIGATION MEASURES PDF (183 KB) February 11, 2026
3 Notice of Determination - February 11, 2026
2 End of Public Comment Period - October 24, 2025
1 Notice of Intent to Make a Determination – Start of Public Comment Period - September 24, 2025

Contacts

Planning and Environment Group
Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Small Craft Harbours, Maritimes and Gulf Regions
343 University Avenue
Gulf Fisheries Centre
Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 5K4
Email: DFO.SCHMGEnvironment-MGEnvironnementPPB.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • Sonora, Guysborough County (Nova Scotia)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Ports and Harbours

  • Assessment Status

    Completed

  • Start Date

    2025-09-24

  • Proponent

    Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Small Craft Harbours

  • Authorities

    • Fisheries and Oceans Canada

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    89905

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
Report a problem on this page
Date modified: