Tensions are growing in Windsor, Nova Scotia, as an emergency order keeping Lake Pisiquid filled is blocking fish migration, sparking controversy over its impact on the environment and Mi’kmaq Treaty Rights.
Moira Donovan reports for The Narwhal.
In short:
- A provincial emergency order has kept the artificial Lake Pisiquid filled for over 16 months, blocking fish from migrating upstream.
- Mi’kmaq communities argue the lake violates their Treaty Right to fish and disrupts the ecosystem, leading to protests and legal action.
- Local residents are divided, with some supporting the lake’s preservation for recreational and fire safety reasons, while others push for restoring natural tidal flow.
Key quote:
“We hear a lot of talk about reconciliation, but then when you come here and you see everything that’s going on, especially politically, and you realize that a lake and a gated structure currently are trumping our rights — that, to me, is not reconciliation.”
— Nikki-Marie Lloyd, Mi'kmaw woman from Annapolis Valley First Nation
Why this matters:
The ongoing conflict exposes deeper issues around environmental justice, Indigenous rights and government accountability, with potential long-term consequences for fish populations and biodiversity in the region.
Read more: New research seeks to address climate change’s impact on Nova Scotia’s air quality
