September 4, 2020 Halifax, Nova Scotia Parks Canada Agency
Georges Island National Historic Site opened partially to visitors beginning this past August and demand for tickets has been high. As such, the Government of Canada, today, is announcing that it is extending the visitor season an additional five weekends starting September 12-13 up to, and including, the weekend of October 10-11, 2020.
Tickets are being sold through Ambassatours Gray Line/Murphy's on the Water, the boat tour company that is providing the ferry service to Georges Island through a contract with Develop Nova Scotia.
This 2020 visitor offer was made possible by the completion of a new wharf, jointly funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, through Develop Nova Scotia and Tourism Nova Scotia. The wharf provides a gateway to this unique historical and cultural attraction, enhancing Halifax Harbour for residents and visitors.
While visitor services remain limited at this time, Parks Canada's continued consultation and collaboration with La Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse and Indigenous partners will ensure the new visitor experience represents the full and complex history tied to this key feature in Halifax Harbour.
This small island and its fortifications played a large role as a prison, as an internment camp for Acadians, in the development of Nova Scotia, and in the defence of Canada. Georges Island is one of five national historic sites in Halifax which are known collectively as the Halifax Defence Complex.
This new tourism opportunity will continue to support local economic COVID-19 recovery efforts in the Halifax region. By providing access to Georges Island, Parks Canada is providing visitors with an opportunity to connect with Atlantic Canada's rich and complex history.
