We are very concerned about “Owls Head 2.0,” a.k.a., West Mabou Beach Provincial Park. The Cabot group is looking to lease West Mabou Beach and turn the sensitive dune ecosystem in the provincial park into a golf course.
Email Campaigns:
Ecology Action Centre: https://ecologyaction.ca/save-west-mabou-beach-park
Birds Canada: Protect West Mabou Beach Provincial Park
Online Petition:
https://www.change.org/p/protect-west-mabou-beach
Website:
https://www.savewestmaboubeach.com/
You don’t need to be a science whiz or a brilliant writer in order to stand up for the environment. You just need to make your voice heard.

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TO: PREMIER@novascotia.ca
CC: mindnr@novascotia.ca, Minister.Environment@novascotia.ca, + YOUR MLA
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Key Points, Courtesy of the Ecology Action Centre:
- 86 per cent of Nova Scotia’s coastline is privately owned. Only 5 per cent of the coast that is protected public land.
- The West Mabou Beach Provincial Park is an important part of our provincial Parks and Protected Areas network. It has been protected for over 20 years.
- Development is precisely what these special places are protected from.
- Nova Scotia has a legislated commitment to protect 20 per cent of our lands and water by 2030. Giving away land that is already protected would be going backwards and will make reaching this goal next to impossible.
- Cabot was turned down by the Nova Scotia government with a similar proposal in 2018. A proposal in 2000 from a different developer was also rejected.
- Cabot has significant financial resources. If they wish to develop another golf course, they are welcome to buy private land for their private development – just like everybody else.
- The provincial government must be firm and make it clear to Cabot and all private developers that our provincially protected Parks and Protected Areas are not for sale – period.
- If the provincial government entertains this request, they will be going down a slippery slope which would open all of Nova Scotia’s Parks and Protected areas to such requests.
- If protected public lands are only protected until a private company wants them, then none of them are really protected at all.
- If the provincial government were to give away this or any of our protected public lands to private developers, they would be breaking a crucial trust with the public.
- Crown lands, including our protected public lands, belong to all Nova Scotians.
- If the Houston government approves Cabot’s request it would set a terrible precedent and will encourage more private developers to go after more of our Parks and Protected Areas network.
Some Articles About West Mabou Beach Provincial Park:
- Golf course developers eye part of provincial park in Cape Breton for second time, CBC News, Oct. 24, 2022
- Cabot wants to build a golf course on West Mabou Beach Provincial Park, Halifax Examiner, Oct. 25, 2022
- Premier urged to ‘just say no’ to West Mabou golf course proposal, Saltwire, Oct. 25, 2022
- Houston says any request from Cabot to build golf course in Mabou park will get due process, Halifax Examiner, Oct. 25, 2022
- Cabot golf plans should avoid protected parkland, say opposition leaders, CBC News, Oct. 25, 2022
- Mabou beach park golf bid completely off course (Letters), Saltwire, Oct.31, 2022
- Opposition to proposed golf course at Cape Breton’s West Mabou Beach is growing, CBC News, Nov. 8, 2022
- Acadia biologist excited at discovery of rare fern at West Mabou Beach, CBC News, Dec. 1, 2022
- Raymond Plourde: Pop Cabot’s trial balloon now, Saltwire, Dec. 2, 2022
- Environmentalist says 2021 e-mail shows Tim Houston supported protecting parks from golf developers, CBC News, Dec. 5, 2022
- N.S. land protection should extend to scuttling West Mabou golf course idea, Saltwire, Dec. 13, 2022
- West Mabou proposal threatens all provincial parks, Saltwire, Dec. 14, 2022