A proposed whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia is moving closer to reality with new funding announced to support construction.
The Whale Sanctuary Project says it has secured additional donor contributions, including a three-million U.S. dollar donation, to help advance work at its site in Port Hilford Bay.
The funding will support early infrastructure as the sanctuary prepares to eventually receive whales currently held in captivity.
A key part of that plan includes the potential relocation of two orcas, Wikie and Keijo, currently in France.
The organization says it is awaiting a final decision from the French government on the future of the whales, which could either be moved to another facility in France or transferred to the Nova Scotia sanctuary.
Project leaders say they are prepared to receive the whales if approval is granted, noting the site is being designed as a more natural, ocean-based environment for animals that have spent their lives in captivity.
The sanctuary would provide long-term care while allowing whales to live in a larger, more natural habitat compared to traditional marine parks.
The project also comes as attention grows around the future of other captive whales, including belugas in Canada, with increasing pressure to find alternative care options.
Organizers say the Nova Scotia sanctuary is intended to serve as one of those options, offering a different model focused on long-term welfare and rehabilitation.
