Sable Island to Get National Park Reserve Designation

Nova Scotia's historic Sable Island will be protected forever as one of Canada's national parks.

Premier Darrell Dexter signed a landmark agreement today, Oct. 17, with Peter Kent, Minister responsible for Parks Canada, to make the island a park reserve.

"Sable Island holds a special place in the hearts of Nova Scotians, and Canadians across the country," said Premier Darrell Dexter. "We are pleased that the island's natural and cultural values will be forever protected through its status as a national park reserve.

"This agreement means that the province will continue to have a voice in the management of Sable Island, a place of amazing beauty and nature."

Sable Island is 42 kilometres long and located 290 kilometres off of Halifax. The island's sand dunes and fresh water ponds are home to more than 400 wild horses and numerous migrant and breeding birds, including the rare Ipswich Savannah sparrow. The island holds significant cultural, heritage and ecological value for Nova Scotia and Canada.

"Today's historic agreement will ensure that this iconic and valued Canadian landscape, fabled for its wild horses, shipwrecks and one of the largest dune systems in eastern Canada, will be protected as a national park reserve for the benefit of Canadians for all time," said Mr Kent.

"In designating Sable Island as a national park reserve, the government of Canada will honour the long-standing commitment of Nova Scotians to the protection of this special place, a commitment made clear during last year's public consultation that strongly supported the proposed national park reserve."

Nova Scotia and the federal government have agreed to table legislation to prohibit drilling from the surface of Sable Island and out to one nautical mile. Petroleum companies have agreed to voluntarily amend their significant discovery licences to give effect to this provision.

"This agreement acknowledges our shared obligation to protect the natural habitat and heritage of this iconic island for future generations, including our stewardship of its offshore ecology and subsurface resources," said MLA Leonard Preyra, on behalf of Charlie Parker, Minister of Natural Resources.

For more information on the Sable Island project, visit www.parkscanada.gc.ca .