Description
The Bras d’Or Lakes are a unique series of estuarine bodies linked together to form an irreplaceable coastal ecosystem in the middle of Cape Breton Island. The unique combination of natural and cultural assets in the watershed has won world renown. National Geographic Traveler magazine has rated Cape Breton Island its Number 2 worldwide destination for sustainable tourism, along with New Zealand’s South Island and Torres del Paine in Chile, following the Norwegian fjords.
As with many areas of public concern in Canada, responsibility for the management of water resources is divided between the Federal and Provincial governments. In addition, provinces also delegate responsibilities to municipal governments within their boundaries. In particular, provinces normally delegate substantial responsibilities for land use planning and regulation to local government. Municipalities are also normally responsible for a variety of services that may impact, influence, or improve water quality, such as sewage collection and disposal, water supply, and stormwater management. In Nova Scotia, the framework for municipal planning is set out in Part VIII of the Municipal Government Act, a comprehensive act that covers all aspects of municipal operations and responsibilities. Under the Act, which is commonly referred to as the MGA, municipal plans are officially called “municipal planning strategies” (MPS). The normal focus of a MPS is to declare the intentions of the specific municipality with respect to regulation of land use through a “land use bylaw” (LUB) and zoning map.
UINR has been working towards implementation of new development standards in Mi’kmaq communities, using the effect of poor shoreline and watershed land use practices and their effect on eel habitat as the tie to Mi’kmaq concerns and values. Shelley Denny, head of UINR research, is leading the Mi’kmaq community effort. The Bras d’Or Stewardship Society, a partner in CEPI, has been working with municipalities in an attempt to achieve the same goal. The Development Standards for the Bras d’Or Watershed Report and Best Practices handbook were created to address landuse and development issues. UINR has developed educational materials to address issues specific to the Mi’kmaq communities.
