The Onslow-North River Dyke Realignment and Tidal Wetland Restoration Project is an example of a win-win-win project that has benefits for the community, the environment, and the government. The project was originally conceived to fulfill the need for Nova Scotia Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (NSTIR) to create a “bank” of salt marsh “habitat credits” to offset the loss or damage to wetlands arising from infrastructure projects.

It was quickly realized that the project design could restore 92 ha of floodplain and reduce flood risk for the town of Truro, reduce the ongoing dyke maintenance costs for Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture while increasing the protection of both public and private infrastructure. Additionally, it will also re-establish fish access to McCurdy Brook while providing important fish habitat with the creation of salt marsh. With so many complexities and potential benefits, this project has included extensive collaboration between government, community, academia, and industry partners to ensure favourable outcomes for everyone involved.

This project was recognized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation (OECD) and has been used internationally as a case study comparing approaches for adapting to sea-level rise and climate change.