P.E.I. homeowners concerned, confused about shoreline protection post-Fiona

Homeowners along P.E.I.'s north shore are worried about destruction from winter storms, as their properties lie unprotected after damage from post-tropical storm Fiona. 

They want the provincial government to help, with guidance and financial support.

Arlene Betteridge is president of the Luke Street Cottage and Lot Owners Association. Originally from P.E.I., she is now a seasonal resident in Rustico, on the shoreline of Rustico Bay.

She said Luke Street has 24 cottages, 12 of them along the shoreline. 

"The current state of our shoreline is complete deconstruction of our banks and the shoreline itself," Betteridge said. 

"Quotations for restoration work for individual shoreline property owners range from $35,000 to $100,000. There's different, varying levels of damage to each property, but each property has been hit seriously by Fiona."

Betteridge said the association has spoken to all of the residents, to ensure they will act collectively in the reconstruction.

"Because if one does not participate, it will undermine the work of the neighbour on either side of us. It's not possible to do one without all, and have a really complete solid job done," Betteridge said.

"Each one of the residents on the shoreline have agreed to participate 100 per cent in this collective action to restore our shoreline."

This is a coastal community cry for help. The issue can't wait. This is an emergency situation.​​​​​​— Arlene Betteridge, The Luke Street Cottage and Lot Owners Association

Betteridge said her association is calling on the provincial government to help residents facing steep reconstruction costs, not just on Luke Street but across the Island. 

"We really need the legislative assembly to vote right now to release emergency relief funds, or disaster relief funds," Betteridge said.  

"The need for money is great here. This is a coastal community cry for help. The issue can't wait. This is an emergency situation. This is a disaster situation, and we must take action now."

Betteridge said she understands that there is some debate over whether armouring or rock walls work, but said on Luke Street, the home with the most armouring fared the best in the storm. 

"There is one area at the end of our street where they do have these big rock walls, and that is the area that sustained the very least damage," Betteridge said.

"We can see the difference between the property that had that, and the properties that do not, which is 99 per cent of the properties did not because it's a very costly proposition."

Living shoreline destroyed

A five-minute drive away in Anglo Rustico, members of the Summer Haven Homeowners' Association are also dealing with the aftermath of Fiona. 

The community put decades of work into establishing a living shoreline — shrubs and trees holding the bank in place. 

Fiona tore across Rustico Bay and ripped the cliffs apart, destroying stairways down to the shore, and tearing away metres of bank. 

"It's completely different actually. It's been completely decimated as far as we can tell," said Terra Doucette, association co-president.

"We had a beautiful living shoreline and now you can see there's a lot of exposed red clay and rock."

The association represents more than 70 homeowners, with 28 of them along the shoreline, all wondering what to do now.

Doucette said she wants more direction from government on how homeowners can address the damage and prepare for future storms. 

"What worries me is it seems to be the plan right now is homeowners just look after it yourselves and I feel that there needs to be more collaboration," she said. "Not every homeowner is going to be able to afford to do this work."

"I really do feel that this is bigger than individual homeowners. All of P.E.I. is responsible for our shorelines. If we don't protect it, then it's just going to move in further."

Doucette said her association is still considering what to do next to rebuild the shoreline.

"Most of our association feel really strongly about the living shoreline. We did have a living shoreline here for 40 years," Doucette said. 

"That's protected us well. It's concerning that we lost so much waterfront when we were so established with the living shoreline."

Why, as homeowners, should we be putting a ton of money into something that's not proven to work? I guess that's my concern.— Terra Doucette, Summer Haven Homeowners' Association

Doucette said she's not convinced that using armouring or rock walls will be the answer for the homeowners she represents.

"You listen to other residents around P.E.I. who have armoured — there was a gentleman who said he's put hundreds of thousands of dollars in armouring, and it all has washed away," Doucette said.

 "I don't necessarily think armouring is the answer. So why, as homeowners, should we be putting a ton of money into something that's not proven to work? I guess that's my concern."

'We need to have the answers'

Doucette hopes the provincial government will meet with residents over the winter, and have a plan by spring 2023.

"It's getting too late in the season to do anything now. But I think, by spring, we need to have the answers, we need to know what will be approved, what can we do, are there going to be any supports available."

Rustico-Emerald MLA Brad Trivers has raised the issue several times in the P.E.I. Legislature. 

The environment minister has said he is looking to introduce policy around the use of rock walls on the province's shoreline.