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“It’s a concern to all Nova Scotians .... If our critical infrastructure is destroyed, if our supply chain is cut off. And obviously the biggest threat is to the people that I represent if there’s extreme flooding,” she told reporters.

Climate researchers have warned that one severe storm in the Bay of Fundy could overwhelm the area’s 35 kilometres of dikes, flooding communities and halting the transportation of goods. The isthmus includes a section of the Trans-Canada Highway and a Canadian National railway line, where an estimated $100 million of goods and services cross daily.

Tilley said the project has been estimated to take 10 years, but added that there are too many factors at play for him to provide an updated timeline.

“I’m hesitant to say yes, we’re five years in, we’re six years in, we’re three years in. At this point, we are where we are. We still hope it’s a 10-year project,” Tilley said Friday. 

When pressed on the timeline, the minister said it’s difficult to determine when things will get done because there are many factors outside the province’s control, including the results of environmental and wetland assessments and the permitting process. 

“At the end of the day, you never know what you’re going to run into. This is a huge project.”

Ottawa announced in March it would put $325 million toward the $650-million project, with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick each committing $162.5 million. Nova Scotia has built a $2-million protective berm near the New Brunswick boundary aimed at protecting an aging dike.

When asked if his department is still pushing for Ottawa to pick up the entirety of the bill, Tilley did not directly answer but said he still believes the project is the purview of the federal government. 

“It’s a federal trade corridor. But again, we’re not stopping. We’re getting work done. We’re going to continue to get work done,” Tilley said. 

The original network of dikes on the Chignecto Isthmus was built in the late 1600s. The area is at risk of flooding caused by storm surges, rising sea levels and coastal erosion, all of which have been linked to climate change. 

The project will also include the replacement or addition of new, small aboiteaux — culverts with gates that prevent sea water from flowing inland past the dikes while allowing water behind the dikes to flow out. The upgrades will also help protect farmland and the communities of Sackville, N.B., and Amherst, N.S., both of which are close to the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick boundary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2025.