Demonstrators protesting development in Dartmouth, N.S. wetland charged with obstruction

Four people who were arrested at a protest against a development in Dartmouth, N.S., have been charged by Halifax Regional Police.

Officers were initially called to the Eisner Cove area at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, where demonstrators had gathered.

A housing development is slated for the area, and is expected to take up 45 hectares of land between Woodside Industrial Park and Highway 111.

According to the developer, Clayton Developments Ltd., the Mount Hope housing site will be home to 875 new housing units, “including attainable housing much needed in HRM.”

However, the location is also atop of what’s currently the largest wetland in Dartmouth.

On Tuesday, contractors were trying to get into the site to clear cut trees, but the protesters blocked that work.

About a dozen police officers were at the demonstration, and at least four arrests were made. Police said three men aged 45, 41 and 27, as well as a 57-year-old woman were charged with one count each of obstruction. The woman was also charged with assaulting an officer.

Nova Scotia actor Elliot Page joined the protest Tuesday to show his support, and posted video on Instagram of one of the arrests.

Page wrote that he witnessed the woman, from the Grassroots Grandmothers, being arrested.

Bill Zebedee, the president of Save our Southland Wetlands Society, described the scene as “tense” and said the situation never should have resulted in arrests.

“I’m going to use the word or phrase ‘dictatorial action’ by the minister of municipal affairs and housing and his five unelected people on the housing task force,” said Zebedee.

“They don’t care about public input, so the people that were protesting today and the ones that got arrested believe that the only way their voices can be heard is to take direct action.”

Zebedee and the society are appealing a decision made last June by the Nova Scotia environment department that approves a road to bisect the wetland.

The group argues the wetland is home to several rare forms of wildlife that the environment department did not take into consideration when making its decision, including migratory nesting birds, wood turtles and three different types of bats.

Contractors had initially attempted to clear cut the area last month, but protesters stopped them.

‘Shocked and disappointed’ with protesters

In a statement to Global News, Clayton Development Ltd. said the company was “shocked and disappointed” with the actions of protesters at the Mount Hope housing site.

“By trespassing on our site and interfering with the work being done, they endangered our workers and themselves. Their actions have been and continue to be reckless and irresponsible,” read an email from president, Jason Brunt.

The statement also said that the project was fully authorized by the municipality and province.

“This includes assessment and approvals from the NS Department of Environment and Climate Change for the work that is occurring in the wetland area,” Brunt noted.

— with files from Ashley Field and Graeme Benjamin 

2:09 Protest against development on N.S. wetland turned dangerous