The province continues to take heat for dropping the Coastal Protection Act.
The Houston government opted not to implement new laws surrounding any new development near water, turning it over to municipalities to come up with their own plan instead.
NDP Leader Claudia Chender says they have yet to hear a good reason as to why it was scrapped.
“We also have, and have passed in this house a Coastal Protection Act. Last winter, municipalities expressed confusion and deep frustration with this government’s abandonment of the act,” said Chender in the legislature.
Environment minister Timothy Halman says there are 49 municipalities with 13,000 diverse kilometres of coastline.
He says the government has hired a coastal coordinator to work with the units.
“The municipal units know their communities best. Our role as a provincial government is to work with these communities for empowerment and support,” said Halman.
Over 2,300 people signed a petition that Chender tabled in the house.
The NDP also introduced legislation to implement the act by January, 2025.
