October 28, 2025
At today’s meeting of the Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee, Liberal MLA Iain Rankin tabled a motion reaffirming the Committee’s support for protecting Nova Scotia’s protected lands, including West Mabou Beach Provincial Park – but Conservative members voted it down.
West Mabou Beach has been designated as a provincial park since 2001, and today’s motion called on the Houston government to maintain the existing protected status of all designated coastal areas. There is no legal mechanism to allow development, such as a golf course, on protected land without removing its park designation.
“Protected land must remain protected,” said Rankin. “West Mabou Beach is a beautiful and ecologically significant place, and I’ve spoken to many community members who are clear that it should stay that way. Removing its park designation and allowing development on this land would set a damaging precedent for protected areas across our province.”
The motion followed a letter sent yesterday to newly appointed Natural Resources Minister Kim Masland, requesting confirmation that the government will not permit any development at West Mabou Beach.
“This government is already far from meeting its own legislated environmental goals, and opening the door to development on protected land would only take us further off course,” said Rankin. “Nova Scotians expect their government to strengthen environmental protection, not weaken it.”