Government Closes Aboiteau at Windsor Causeway to Protect Nova Scotians

To protect the community of Windsor and keep residents safe in the event of a fire, the government is closing the aboiteau at the Windsor causeway as a precaution to refill Lake Pisiquid.

John Lohr, Minister responsible for the Emergency Management Office, has declared a state of emergency for the area under Section 12 of the Emergency Management Act today, June 1, in response to safety issues posed by dry conditions causing wildfires across the province.

“This aboiteau has caused Lake Pisiquid to completely dry up, posing a significant risk during this wildfire season,” said Minister Lohr. “At a time when wildfires across the province continue to spread out of control, we need to take every precaution to prevent further fires, protect communities and maximize the water supply resource available for our ongoing response.”

In March 2021, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans issued an order that required the provincial government to open the gates of an aboiteau. That caused Lake Pisiquid to drain.

The state of emergency, signed at 8 p.m., overrides the federal order and instructs the operators of the sleway connected to Lake Pisiquid to close the gates to maximize the water supply available for wildfire suppression efforts.

The order and the Minister’s directive can be found at: https://novascotia.ca/alerts/#provincial-state-emergency

Quick Facts:

• there is a provincewide ban on open fires; the fine has been increased to $25,000 for breaking the burn ban
• people should not operate drones over a forest fire; drones can interfere with the suppression effort and pose a danger to aircraft and first responders
• people should only call 911 if their health or safety is threatened and they need immediate help; for non-emergencies in HRM related to the police, people can call 902-490-5016

Additional Resources:

Wildfire updates: https://twitter.com/NS_DNRR

Emergency alerts and information: https://novascotia.ca/alerts/

Tantallon fire evacuation information: https://www.halifax.ca/ and @hfxgov on social media

Barrington Lake, Shelburne County, fire evacuation information: https://www.facebook.com/shelburneemo