A new poll commissioned by the Ecology Action Centre (EAC) suggests most Nova Scotians want protected areas to remain off-limits to private development.
The survey, conducted by Narrative Research, found that about four in five respondents oppose allowing projects such as golf courses, spas, and hotels to be built within legally protected lands. Participants include adult residents from across the province using the East Coast Voice panel.
According to Narrative Research’s results:
- 59 per cent of respondents were completely opposed
- 20 per cent were mostly opposed
- 15 per cent were either completely or mostly supportive
- 6 per cent had no opinion
Lindsey Lee, Wilderness Community Outreach Coordinator with the EAC, says many Nova Scotians were surprised when the Houston government suggested it was willing to consider removing protections from existing parks to make way for development.
In a press release, the EAC explains that last fall Houston and his then Natural Resources Minister, Kim Masland, both said that their government is open to private development proposals for any of Nova Scotia’s Parks and Protected Areas.
Lee says the results are not surprising. “Four times in the past nine years, Nova Scotians have made it clear they won’t stand for a government selling or leasing Provincial Parks or Protected Areas for private development. But it seems like the government still hasn’t gotten the message.”
The EAC hopes the decisive results of this poll will be the “wake-up call” provincial decision makers need, reinforcing the importance many residents place on nature conservation.
