Nisga — Critical disaster mitigation infrastructure upgrades are planned for Gingolx Harbour, the largest harbour within the Nisga’a First Nation territory, after an investment of nearly $20 million from the federal government.
Gingolx Harbour faces increasing risks from stronger storms and rising sea levels, which could result in catastrophic damage to the harbour and the sea crafts that use it. This investment will extend and elevate the existing breakwater infrastructure to fortify the shoreline against major storms, create a protected channel for boats within the harbour, and decrease the rate and amount of silt building up from the Nass River. Controlled water flow and levels of silt will reduce negative impacts on fish spawning habitats, the surrounding banks, and Indigenous commercial and private boats.
“As extreme weather events increase in frequency due to climate change, now more than ever, disaster mitigation plays a key role in protecting communities like Gingolx against the increasing risks of climate change. Investing in improving the existing breakwater infrastructure will help protect Gingolx’s harbour and, subsequently, their fishing industry—the livelihood and cultural tradition of many Nisga’a Nation residents along the northwest coast on Portland Inlet. – Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities