2018 Kouchibougac National Park Announcement - Federal Infrastructure Investment Program - Grand total investment*: $7.5M

Backgrounder

Kouchibouguac National Park        

Established in 1969, Kouchibouguac National Park extends over 238 square kilometres and includes a rich diversity of bogs, salt marshes, tidal rivers, sparkling freshwater systems, sheltered lagoons, abandoned fields, and tall forests characterizing the Maritime Plain Natural Region. The name Kouchibouguac (pronounced “Kou-she-boo-gwack”) is of Mi'kmaq origin and means “river of the long tides”. Open year-round, the Kouchibouguac National Park landscape welcomes exploration via its network of gentle hiking, cycling trails, snowshoe and country-country trails.

Fort Beauséjour – Fort Cumberland National Historic Site

The fort of Beauséjour played a crucial role in the rivalry between France and Britain in North America. It was in 1755 at this strategic spot on the Isthmus of Chignecto that the tragic events of the Deportation began to unfold. Renamed Fort Cumberland after its capture in 1755, it protected British interests until the early 1800s. It was here in 1776 that the British defenders of the fort repulsed an attack in the early stages of the American Revolution. Located on the border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Fort Beauséjour – Fort Cumberland National Historic Site stands at the crossroads of Canadian natural and cultural history. The fort depicts the 18th century conflicts between France and Britain, and the later struggle between two great empires — America and Britain — for North American supremacy.

Federal Infrastructure and Conservation and Restoration Project Funding

Project name: National Park/National Historic Site Boundary Line Improvement
Estimated total: $250K
Project description: This project will focus on the surveying and clearing of boundary lines at both Kouchibouguac National Park and Fort Beauséjour – Fort Cumberland National Historic Site to ensure the best protection of these sites.

Project name: Rankin Brook Bridge Replacement
Estimated total: $4M
Project description: The Rankin Brook Bridge is located on Highway 117 in Kouchibouguac National Park. The project will see the replacement of the Rankin Brook Bridge, as it was originally built in 1963 and has reached the end of its lifespan. Some rehabilitation work was conducted on the bridge in 2015, and it was during this work that assessments showed the need for a complete bridge replacement. Highway 117 is an important connector for the park as well as for the local community. By replacing the bridge, Parks Canada is ensuring public safety and supporting local economic development. The project will provide sustainable infrastructure for the next 75 years.

Project name: Kollock Creek Bridge Replacement
Estimated total: $3M
Project description: This structure is essential to Kouchibouguac National Park operations and visitor experience as it is on the Main Parkway which provides the only access to park facilities. The bridge has reached the end of its lifespan and a bridge replacement will provide sustainable infrastructure for the next 75 years. Parks Canada will build a higher structure, to meet expected sea level rise due to climate change, and will also realign a portion of the Parkway to minimize the curve leading to the bridge, which will ensure a safer route for larger vehicles. To minimize inconvenience and interruption, the bridge will be replaced in the off-season, with construction in the fall and winter of 2018/2019.

Project name: Eradication of six alien vegetation species
Estimated total: $227K
Project description: This Conservation and Restoration (CoRe) project will take place over the next five years in order to eradicate six exotic invasive plant species detected throughout the park in human-disturbed areas such as trails, roads, campgrounds, buildings or facilities, and recreational areas. The species identified as priorities for eradication are the Japanese knotweed, Norway maple, Manitoba maple, purple loosestrife, reed canary grass, and rugosa rose. These non-native species were introduced within park boundaries due to past or present human activities. They are problematic to our natural protected areas as they colonize and outcompete native species for resources due to their fast growth, rapid reproduction, high dispersal ability, as well as their high tolerance to a wide range of environmental conditions. Over time, these invasive plants reduce the ecological integrity of our forest ecosystems. Control measures for eradication will include several manual methods such as cutting stems or trees, digging roots, and tarping patches, followed by site restoration or natural regeneration. This work will complement progress achieved along Highway 117 during that extensive rehabilitation project.

Previously Completed Federal Infrastructure Projects

Kouchibouguac National Park has completed a number of previously announced federal infrastructure projects, with a total value of approximately $26 million.

Project name: Highway 117 Rehabilitation
Project description: Highway 117 is a provincial highway with a 24-kilometre section that runs through Kouchibouguac National Park, connecting Route 134 and the community of Pointe Sapin. In 2015, this entire section was rebuilt. With the highway also crossing many rivers, rehabilitation work was also completed on the Black River, Claire-Fontaine and Portage River bridges. Bridge work included such things as railing repairs or replacement, expansion joint replacement, and concrete repairs to abutments and piers, all of which will extend the serviceable life of the bridges.

In order repair Highway 117, the substructure required rebuilding, making this a significant project for the park. The scope of this project allowed Kouchibouguac National Park to make important conservation gains, which lead to a Parks Canada CEO award in 2016. In total, 58 culverts were replaced, more than 200 m2 of new fish habitat was created, and four underground tunnels were installed in the northern section of the highway to allow safe animal crossings and reduce the number of road mortalities.

In 2016, a 3.2-kilometre fencing system was installed along this section, which interconnects the tunnels. This addition was crucial, as it guides travelling animals under and not over the road. In 2017, researchers from the Université Laval launched a study to analyse the efficiency of these underground passages on the new highway. So far, preliminary results have shown that a wide variety of species were using the new tunnels, such as green frogs, wood frogs, American toads, spotted salamanders, and common garter snake. Many species of mammals were also observed using them like raccoons, skunks, hares, ermines, mice, shrews, marmots, beavers and even bears. Today, this infrastructure project is considered one of the largest roadside amphibian and reptile conservation projects in Canada.

Project name: Cap St. Louis Road Repair and Hydro Clearing
Project description: Repairs included erosion protection, road widening and installing guiderails, where appropriate. As part of this project, brush cutting was also conducted under power lines in order to allow access for servicing. Stream health was monitored throughout the project using electrofishing and sediment erosion control. 

Project name: Callanders Road Rehabilitation
Project description: Road rehabilitation was required in order to improve conditions during rain events. Drainage was improved with a new layer of gravel and ditching. This work will ensure the road remains safe during rain events and provide an improved experience for visitors.

Project name: North Kouchibouguac Road
Project description: The North Kouchibouguac Road is a 1.3 km stretch of road that links the village of Kouchibouguac to Highway 117. It is an important connector for local residents commuting to and from Pointe Sapin. Work to improve the condition of the roadway included replacing the substructure and the culverts followed by a new pavement structure.

* Please note that the sum of individual project values may not equal the grand total indicated at the top of this document due to standard rounding errors.          

 

 

-30-

Search for related information by keyword: Infrastructures | Parks Canada | New Brunswick | Infrastructure | general public | backgrounders

Page details

Date modified: