The Nova Scotia government approved the construction of a whale sanctuary on 83 hectares of Crown land and coastal waters.

Whale Sanctuary Project, the organizers of the plan to create North America’s first coastal refuge for captive whales, announced they received the green light to begin building on the province’s eastern shore.

This approval allows them to start constructing a large, floating net enclosure for whales and dolphins retired from marine theme parks like Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont. “We are grateful to the Nova Scotia government and the Minister of Natural Resources,” said the group. “This is a great day for the Whale Sanctuary and for the whales.”

The 20-year lease granted to the American non-profit organization has an option to renew for another 20 years.

The 40-hectare underwater enclosure’s construction cost is estimated at US$15 million and will take approximately eight months from start to completion. The annual operating cost is about US$2 million.

Animal Justice, an advocacy organization, commended Nova Scotia’s decision, saying it “provides real hope for a permanent, peaceful home for many of the beluga whales currently suffering in tanks at Marineland in Niagara Falls.”