Local
Estabrooks: NS Needs To Intervene In Island Real Estate "Free For All"
By NDP Caucus News Release
Jul 29, 2005, 11:04

Halifax - NDP MLA Bill Estabrooks wants Nova Scotians to know that people from around the world are buying up islands off the coast of Nova Scotia on the Internet, which limits public use and endangers fish and wildlife habitats.

"It's a free for all. Right now, there are 23 island properties for private sale on the two websites I've found. If the government isn't concerned, they should be."

"Intervention is long overdue. When these islands are sold to private owners, they are no longer accessible by local residents or visitors to our province. It also threatens valuable wildlife habitats."

"Just look at the development that's taken place on some of the Mahone Bay islands over the last number of years to see what lies ahead if this government inaction is allowed to continue."

Private Islands Online* and Vladi Private Islands** are two sites currently listing number of Nova Scotia islands for sale.

Real estate listings for Nova Scotia islands are often described using historical names with obscured geographical details that make them difficult to locate on detailed maps.

"Before we lose more of these gems, there has to be some consideration of how the buyer intends to use the island. Are they going to put a helicopter pad on it? We don't know."

*Private Islands Online: http://www.privateislandsonline.com/novascotia.htm
**Vladi Private Islands: http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/sales_islands/sites/3a_map.html



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