Two major wharves on Grand Manan Island will be receiving an infusion of cash for repairs and reconstruction.
Secretary of State for the Canadian Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions and Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long announced the funding as part of a $957.8 million in small craft harbours — noting significant investment in Ingalls Head and North Head.
Long said no specific amount has been allocated to each project, but guaranteed they would be completed.
“I do know that these projects will be completed,” he said, speaking to The Courier. “I’m telling you that with 100 per cent certainty, these projects have been prioritized out of that $957 million.”
North Head in particular was chosen following the failure of a previous construction project that caused economic turmoil on the island.
Greenfield Construction was awarded a $15.8 million contract — but the project was never completed. In July 2025, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Village of Grand Manan and Public Service Procurement Canada to remove the rocks that had been left and were blocking the view of the North Head wharf.
“We recognize the issue with the delays, and the rocks and everything else,” Long said. “It was a bit of a sore spot for us, so obviously, we did discuss that and we wanted to make sure we got that right, and that’s why we included that one.”
Grand Manan Fisherman’s Association president Brian Guptill said the working wharves on the island are the backbone of the community.
“For a long time now, we’ve been looking at the cracks, dealing with the wear and tear, and frankly worrying about whether our infrastructure was going to hold up with the demands we’ve been placing on the wharves today,” he said. “Today I’m glad to say the message finally got through.”
He said the investment means Ingalls Head and North Head will no longer be “just holding on.”
Long said the government needs to put out a request for proposals, adding no specific amount has been allocated out of the $957 million.
“But I do know that these projects will be completed,” he said. “I’m telling you that with 100 per cent certainty these projects have been prioritized.”
Tom Taylor, with the Atlantic Canadian Fish Farmers Association, said this investment will be for generations to come.
“As you know, this infrastructure lasts a long time when it is built well,” he said. “We look forward to the rebuilds and the repair work that is urgently needed as well.”
New Brunswick Southwest MP John Williamson said the announcement is welcome news after he said he applied pressure to the Liberal government to fix neglected wharves in the region.
“The North Head wharf is long overdue and is a project the Liberals mismanaged from the start,” he said. “The serious problem with Friday’s announcement is that it could still be another five years before the wharf work is done.”
He said this compounds the delays the project faced since 2019, calling the timeline completion unheard of and unacceptable.
“Had this project been well managed, it would have been completed by now at half the cost,” he said in a statement. “My riding has many more wharves that need repairs as well as upgrades and I’ll continue to press the federal government to do a better job maintaining wharf infrastructure for New Brunswick’s vibrant fishing communities.”
Ingalls Head will receive advanced planning and reconstruction – known as wharf structure 401. It is home to 53 commercial vessels, with the main fishery being lobster.
In North Head, the federal government’s funds will go toward the reconstruction of the T-wharf 401B, as well as the planning and replacement of 401A, 401C, and 402. There are 121 commercial fishing vessels that dock in North Head.
