Natural Resources Minister Kim Masland confirmed Thursday that her department has received a proposal for a golf development that would use West Mabou Beach Provincial Park and she said she’s willing to consider development proposals in other protected areas.
“We’re open for business in Nova Scotia and we need to look at ways that we can make sure that we are still being an economic driver in the province but yet balance protection,” she told reporters following a cabinet meeting in Halifax.
The proposal is from the Cabot golf company, which operates three courses in the Inverness area. This is the third attempt the company has made to access the provincial park for a development, the most recent being rejected by the Progressive Conservative government in 2023.
Cabot officials did not respond to a request for an interview.
A website the company has created for the project says a new course would fall within the boundaries of the park in the area of West Mabou Harbour.
“The vision is to develop an 18-hole golf course and small office/clubhouse,” but there would be no accommodations on site, according to the website.
Masland told reporters that if the government decides to move forward with the proposal, it would first require community consultation and consultation with First Nations. She said she’s “always open for discussion” about development in any protected area.
“Because you have a conversation doesn’t mean it’s going to happen or it’s not going to happen. It’s a conversation,” she said.
Natural Resources Minister Kim Masland says she’s ‘always open to discussion’ about development in any protected area. (Robert Short/CBC)
Cabot’s push for a Crown land lease to enable the development has stirred up controversy each time it has come forward.
In 2023, then natural resources minister Tory Rushton and Houston told Cabot officials not to even bother submitting a proposal because a golf course was not a permitted use under the Provincial Parks Act. Rushton was shuffled out of cabinet last week.
On Thursday, the premier said he’s talked to area residents and Inverness MLA Kyle MacQuarrie “a lot” about the project.
Houston said he’s heard from people who support the idea and there’s a need to be “open-minded and listen to opportunities if there’s maybe a better use for land that might get more people involved and enjoying Nova Scotia.”
With the province facing a $1.2-billion deficit, the premier said the government must seek out new economic development opportunities.
“Some of them might be good opportunities, but not all of them — who knows. But we should have the discussions.”
WATCH | Tensions rise over potential golf course in West Mabou:
Tensions rise over potential golf course in West Mabou
Anger with the Nova Scotia government is growing as Cabot Golf tees up another bid for a possible development at West Mabou Beach Provincial Park. The land is protected by law and has previously been deemed out of bounds for such proposals. Kyle Moore has the story.
Liberal MLA Iain Rankin said the growing deficit is a problem of the Houston government’s own making.
“They had choices to make every single budget and they chose to overspend,” he told reporters.
Rankin said people he’s talked with in Mabou are mostly frustrated by the lack of concrete answers from the government about the proposal and the fact that it’s back on the table after previously being rejected twice.
An asterisk for all protected areas
He said Masland’s comments mean any protected area in the province or future protected area now comes with an asterisk.
“Beautiful Carters Beach in the minister’s riding that I thought she wanted protected, I guess is now on the table if a developer wants a conversation to develop something,” said Rankin.
NDP Leader Claudia Chender, who recently toured the Mabou area, said the government has a poor track record when it comes to protected areas and community consultation, but seems open to “doing favours for corporate interests that have deep pockets.”
“And I think that that’s what we’re seeing here,” she told reporters.
“We’re seeing a successful lobbying campaign by a private developer to build in a provincial [park] when there are lots of opportunities in lots of other spaces nearby where the community would be in favour of that kind of development.”
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