A plan to change the status of lighthouses in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island is being reviewed, but has not yet been finalized, according to a Canadian Coast Guard spokesman.

Larry Wilson, Director of Marine Programs for the Coast Guard, says that options being reviewed range from reduction of a light's intensity to decommissioning. The review covers "approximately 84 major sites and several hundred minor sites," Wilson says.

"We may see some stations decommissioned because they are no longer required, but these will all be from among the minor sites. However, I expect that the majority of them will remain as navigational aids. We'll also be looking at the criteria for nominal range [of the lights], and we may reduce the intensity of some of them." He adds, "Reduced intensity will mean reduced equipment, and that in turn will mean reduced maintenance costs." Wilson explains, "Fifty years ago, ships relied heavily on being able to see a light coming over the horizon. With the sophisticated navigational equipment that ships have now, a lighthouse is useful mainly to fishermen and recreational boaters. In other words, a light may still be needed, but not necessarily at an intensity that can be seen, say, at 20 or 30 miles."

At the same time, the Canadian Coast Guard is planning to turn over the non-navigational aid light station structures to private hands in a program similar to the Maine Lights program. As with the Maine program, applicants must be able to guarantee public access to the lighthouses and be responsible for maintenance, historically accurate preservation, environmental concerns and liability issues.

A Maritimes regional advisory council and provincial selection committees have been established, Wilson says. Both groups will make recommendations to the federal Treasury Board, which has final authority to determine the lighthouses' future. The 13-member regional advisory council's purpose is to "assist the Coast Guard in providing future direction and divestiture programs," according to Wilson.

"With this council in place, the community will have an ear within the Coast Guard," Wilson says. "The council represents all three provinces, and the members come from a cross-section of backgrounds, such as historical preservation, wildlife preservation and community development, to cite just a few examples. It's a good cross-section that will allow us to have a broad range of expertise at the table."

Wilson says that the decision-making process is "encompassing user consultation and a detailed design analysis of the systems." The decision-making process is also part of "a normal level of service review."

Taking note of the Maine Lights program, Wilson says that there are some similarities and some differences in what the Canadian Coast Guard is considering. "We intend to do essentially the same," he says. "However, one difference is that while the Island Institute was chosen to administer the Maine Lights program, the Coast Guard will administer the transition process here."

A working paper from the December 1997 lighthouse alternative use program meeting in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, however, cites the "need to guarantee public access" to the lights, as does the Maine Lights program. Other similarities to the Maine program include maintaining historical, heritage and cultural values, as well as protecting the environmental integrity of the sites (migrating birds, nests, etc.).

Wilson says, "Our intent is to seek some flexibility in the divestiture and alternative use of the stations. We're preparing a draft proposal for [DFO] Minister [David] Anderson, who will in turn submit it to the Treasury Board, which will, hopefully, approve it."

Wilson adds that one result of the P.E.I. conference is that "Community groups now understand the need to work within the bureaucracy and are prepared to use some flexibility in working with us." He adds, "We're quite excited about the whole process."

Bob Gustafson is a freelance writer who lives in Eastport, Maine.

This story appeared in the May 1998 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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