About Us

The actual Shubenacadie Waterway was left after the Ice Age receded from this part of North America over 10,000 years ago. Paul Illsley recently took advantage of some updated technology and produced a set of satelitte images of the waterway. They can be seen on his website at

 http://www.paulillsley.com/Shubenacadie_Canal and are designed to be printed out on a sheet of regualr size paper.

It took a little imagination and a lot of hard work in the late 1800's to turn the rough watercourse into a working Canal.

The Shubenacadie Canal Commission was formed just over 25 years ago, by an Act of the NS Legislature introduced in 1986 by the Hon. Rollie J Thornhill. The stated objective at that time was to "oversee and further promote the Shubenacadie Canal System". That is being accomplished by a team of volunteers who set out the Commission's Mission, Vision and Values in 2003. In its words,

• "We are a waterway, bounded by a greenbelt, spanning the Province from Halifax Harbour to the Cobequid Bay - linking communities enroute.  
• "We are an historic treasure, recognized at home and abroad, as a unique system of natural lakes and rivers connected by man-made locks, canal cuts and inclined planes.
• "We enhance access to the use of the waterway for recreational, educational, cultural and economic benefits for residents, businesses and visitors."  

In 2007, a multi-year Business Plan was published, detailing a priority list of projects aimed at stabilizing and interpreting the remnants of the historic waterway. More immediate tasks were outlined as well, setting forth the day-to-day and year-by-year activities which the Commission sees as essential to"oversee and further promote" this wonderful Provincial resource. 

Recently, the Commission met for a review of the "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats" which face the effort to re-establish the Canal's place in the community. The results of those discussions will be part of a renewed "Mission, Vision and Values" publication to be available here in the coming months.

A Transition Team is currently developing our policy on active fund raising with a view to establishing a Foundation to actively solicit the funds required to recreate the most historic features of the Canal, if not actually restore them.

CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION

PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA Appointees:           

• Deborah Windsor, Chairperson
• Alden Killen
• Richard MacMichael, Corporate Secretary
• Harold Carroll (Ex Officio)                                                                                    

 HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY Appointees:                         

• Doug Conrad, Vice-Chairperson
• Michael Hughes
• Suzanne Roy, Vice-Chairperson 
• Meg Blumenthal                                           
• Coun. Barry Dalrymple (Ex Officio)  
• Coun. Darren Fisher (Ex Officio)  

MUNICIPALITY OF COLCHESTER Appointees:             

• Coun. Mike Cooper

MUNICIPALITY OF EAST HANTS Appointees:             

• Coun. Al Flemming

 Voluntary Secretariat:           

• Bernard Hart  - Heritage                                                 
• Allan Billard - Administration
• John O'Connor - Foundation
• Kate Mills - Promotion
• Cameron Ells - Dartmouth Inclined Plane
   

Three of the volunteer staff at a reception hosted at the Fairbanks Centre

honouring the recent Sprint Canoe World Championships

(L-R) Bernie Hart, John O'Connor, Allan Billard

HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION