A U.S.-based organization aiming to establish a coastal sanctuary in Nova Scotia for retired marine park whales has secured a 20-year lease for Crown land on the province’s Eastern Shore. The non-profit Whale Sanctuary Project revealed the lease agreement on Friday, encompassing 83 hectares of Crown property and coastal waters near Wine Harbour.
Premier Tim Houston’s cabinet approved the lease in October, though some critics noted the absence of the signed document. In June, the project’s organizers conducted a groundbreaking event at the location, which is privately funded.
Efforts are already underway to revamp a wharf for the sanctuary’s whale care facilities. This wharf will also function as a base for erecting a large floating enclosure, comparable in size to 50 football fields.
Charles Vinick, the CEO of the Whale Sanctuary Project, initially proposed a 40-hectare saltwater pen over six years ago.
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