National Trust Congratulates DFO on Funding for Historic Sambro Island Lighthouse

Ottawa, ON May 9, 2015 – The National Trust for Canada congratulates the federal government (Department of Fisheries and Oceans on today’s announcement of an infrastructure investment of $1.5 million to upgrade Sambro Island Lighthouse in Nova Scotia, the oldest working lighthouse in North America.

Sambro Island Lighthouse was built during the Seven Years’ War and has stood watch over the mouth of Halifax Harbour since 1759, welcoming thousands of immigrants to Canada. Along with close to 500 other lighthouses, it was declared surplus by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in 2010.

“Since 2012, we have been promoting the creation of a Heritage Lighthouse Fund to leverage corporate support and private donations for the many other historic surplus lighthouses in desperate need of funding,” said executive director Natalie Bull. “We are encouraged by the government’s investment in this iconic legacy lighthouse and a similar pledge to Cove Island Lighthouse on Georgian Bay, and hope that this is a sign of more to come.”

The federal funding announcement states that this investment will enable stewardship of the lighthouse to be transferred to local community leaders under the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. 

The National Trust recognizes the contribution of the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society and the Sambro Island Heritage Society for their hard work and commitment to the protection of this nationally significant lighthouse.  

For further information:
Carolyn Quinn
Director, Communications
cquinn@heritagecanada.org
Telephone: (613) 237-1066 ext. 229; Cell: (613) 797-7206