A controversial P.E.I. development includes a stony seawall. Critics say it threatens the shoreline
Owners of property at Point Deroche argue their new seawall mitigates erosion
A controversial construction project on the coast of Prince Edward Island has been the subject of residents' ire for months, thanks to a large stone seawall that critics say severely restricts access to the public beach.
"People who used to walk that beach, well, they can't walk it.... You'd have to crawl up over armour stone to be able to walk that stretch of beach," resident Joan Diamond told CBC's Janna Graham.
Diamond drew up a petition, signed by more than 2,000 Islanders, that calls on the provincial government to halt construction of the seawall and have it removed completely. It surrounds a new vacation home on the Island's north shore at Point Deroche.
The property's owners, Toronto couple Jesse and Julie Rasch, have a website of their own, where they have spoken out on what is described as misinformation about the project, arguing it's "vastly safer to walk around than the old seawall."
There's more at stake beyond the beach's walkability: P.E.I. is slowly eroding, caused in part by high winds and rising sea levels spurred on by climate change — and most recently a battering by post-tropical storm Fiona.
Bryson Guptill, a hiking enthusiast and founder of the Island Walk hiking trail, said that over the last 20 or more years — long before the current barrier's construction — you could actually measure the shrinking of the sandy beaches next to the property due to erosion.
"Because of all the erosion, it had actually become much closer to the ocean than it used to be," he said.
Residents
say the new stone seawall surrounding a summer home property at Point
Deroche prevents access to the beach and may cause long-term erosion to
the waterfront. The provincial government says the wall occupies the
same footprint as the location's former seawall. (Shane Hennessey/CBC)
"The Island is more vulnerable than any other province. Its shoreline is more vulnerable. And we expect the governments, whoever they are, to respect public trust," said Guptill, who is also a former senior policy adviser for the federal and P.E.I. governments. "The public trust has been broken here."
Point Deroche was once the site of a farmhouse and several other buildings. They have since been demolished to make way for a "seasonal residential cottage" comprising four structures totalling 6,740 square feet, as well as a separate 883-square-foot bunkie further away from the coast.
The old house had a seawall, too. But critics say the new one makes it more difficult for residents to traverse the public portions of the beach.
In a statement, the P.E.I. government told CBC News that the new seawall is on the same footprint as the old farmhouse's seawall.
Property owners dispute critics' arguments
"It is regrettable to see the politicization of our cottage development," the Rasch family told CBC News in an emailed statement.
"Our work has been lawfully approved, and it will be respectfully seen through to completion. We love P.E.I., and would be pleased if the discussions spurred by our cottage lead to changes that Islanders feel best serve all the stakeholders involved in permitting shorefront property development."
"There are still people who believe the beach has been blocked by our work; this lie was repeated often in recent weeks, and we don't expect everyone to embrace the truth," Jesse Rasch said in a separate email.
"The new shoreline system modestly improves beach access, and significantly improves safety and sight lines, for the infrequent public visitors to this remote area," the Rasches said.
On their website, they argue that their seawall "likely ... mitigated damage" to the coast by Fiona last September. But government officials, including P.E.I. Environment Minister Steven Myers, have suggested the opposite.
"There's nothing that would protect the adjacent shoreline. I think it's part of the crux of the Point Deroche argument, is if you look at the pictures post-Fiona, it's really accelerated the erosion next to it," Myers said in the provincial legislature last November.
Stop work order issued, then rescinded
The province issued a stop work order on the development in September 2022, according to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Guptill. It cited "significant encroachment on an environmental buffer zone," which is protected by P.E.I.'s Planning Act.
But that order was later rescinded after provincial staff met the developer on-site and concluded that the plans complied with regulations.
In a statement to CBC News, the province said the development was permitted in a "working policy" agreed on by the Department of Environment, and the Department of Agriculture and Land.
A
photo taken February 2021 shows the original farmhouse property and
seawall at Point Deroche, as seen on the Rasch family's website. The
family says the photo shows how difficult it would be to walk along the
beach at high tide with 'choppy waters.' (pointderoche.com)
The policy states that existing structures on the property are allowed to stay as is, but new modifications or additions to the property cannot extend closer to the coast, beyond a prescribed boundary. CBC News has asked to see this policy multiple times, with no response.
But critics, including Myers, Guptill and the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, point out that the beach in front of and next to the wall has eroded over the past few decades.
As a result, the water is now closer to the wall, even if the property itself hasn't gotten bigger — a dilemma the working policy doesn't directly address.
"I don't blame the land developer, the company that did this. I mean, they're trying to make a buck," Guptill said. "I blame the government."
Seawall erosion
Seawalls are coastal defence systems, made of hard materials like concrete, boulders and steel. They were once a common method of protecting a home, but these days, scientists generally agree that they're actually destructive.
A recent report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that even though seawalls might reduce impacts to people and buildings in the short term, they can cause long-term exposure to climate risks.
That's because they can block the natural movement of waves that would otherwise replenish beaches, causing damage to wildlife habitats and trouble for people living nearby.
Top among the concerns is beach loss — both in front of a seawall and beside it — in a phenomenon called flanking erosion.
Members
of grassroots organization Coalition for the Protection of P.E.I. Lands
are shown at a meeting on Jan. 28 in Charlottetown, where they
discussed their concerns about the waterfront property under
construction at Port Deroche. (Janna Graham/CBC)
"The dynamic of the waves shoots to the edges. And on both sides of the development, there's an extraordinary amount of erosion," Guptill said.
Coastal erosion is already a major concern on P.E.I. Drone footage gathered by CBC News last year showed "unprecedented" and "heart-wrenching" erosion along the coastline after Hurricane Fiona.
The Rasches' site mentions a plan for "naturalizing" the seawall by using native soils, growing indigenous plants and "strategic" placement of boulders and logs to help stabilize the surrounding area, "reducing erosion."
But it's unclear how long that will take, or how effective any of this will be — especially in the event of another storm like Fiona.
Krummholz and 'living shorelines'
The Point Deroche controversy has put broader concerns about just how vulnerable P.E.I. is to climate change under a microscope. What's more, the Island's very foundation is built upon sandstone, which is prone to erosion or even crumbling.
Daniel McRae, a researcher with the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project, said one possible solution already exists on the Island: "living shorelines" made of plants known as krummholz.
"It's a German word in origin, and it stands for 'bent wood,'" he explained.
Krummholz aren't a specific species of plant; they're more like a selection of trees and shrubs that grow on coastal, windswept areas like much of P.E.I.
Instead of deflecting erosion like a more traditional seawall would do, a natural, living shoreline made of krummholz can diffuse the wind, McRae said.
"They end up protecting both the shoreline erosion as well as the inland forest behind them," he said.
Daniel
McRae with the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project points to
hardy plants known as krummholz. Instead of deflecting erosion, a
natural, 'living shoreline' made of krummholz can diffuse the wind, he
says. (Shane Hennessey/CBC )
Living shorelines happen naturally, but they can also be encouraged or helped along by humans. McRae said he thinks reforesting the shoreline near or around Point Deroche can help mitigate the erosion that's already occurred.
But he cautions that its effects will likely be seen and felt on a more long-term time frame and aren't an immediate solution to the current seawall controversy.
So far there is no mass scale effort to plant or enhance krummholz. However, P.E.I.'s Building Resilience: Climate Adaptation Plan, released in October 2022, includes a call to "develop a program to support nature-based solutions to erosion and flooding for lower-income individuals."
Some
P.E.I. residents worry that the large rock seawall, shown in the
distance, may contribute to further erosion of the nearby beach and
north shore of the Island. (Janna Graham/CBC)
In the meantime, advocates like Bryson Guptill and Joan Diamond are resolved to continue petitioning the government to take action in the interest of their homes.
"We live on an island. It's basically a little sandbar in the middle of the ocean, right? We know that those ... stone walls erode everything around it," Diamond said.
"Point Deroche will eventually be sitting out in the middle of the ocean."
Radio documentary produced by Janna Graham. With files from CBC P.E.I.
Our family has spent the last dozen years summering in PEI. We plan to spend much of our time in PEI in the future.
In 2017 we began looking to find a place to build a home on the north shore. In 2019 we made an offer on this property in the Point Deroche area, which we ultimately closed in 2020. We purchased a site that was already developed, with a very old house perched at the shoreline. The vendor of the property was aware we intended to build a new house on the site. The vendor asked for, and we granted, permission for her to remove the old structure. Ultimately, she never did so, and we proceeded to demolish the structure as it was not salvageable.
The property and house were protected by an old seawall from the 1990s which required investigations. The old seawall was faced with timber treated with toxic creosote retaining a variety of concrete blocks that had been getting dislodged over time. It was an eyesore to beach visitors, dangerous to walk around depending on the tide, and unpleasant to sit by due to the carcinogenic off-gassing of the creosote fumes.
The research into this seawall - and how to replace it when it was concluded it was potentially unsafe - has involved extensive conversations with both provincial and federal government agencies, as well as coastal engineers, scientists knowledgeable in climate change, and other consultants. Our objective was to ensure that our efforts would best protect the shoreline long term, and also improve the safety profile of the shoreline.
I will summarize by saying it was a much bigger undertaking than we ever imagined it would be. A book could likely be written on this project, but the bottom line is the new rock-slope shore protection was approved after significant review by the relevant government authorities, and is already a much safer seawall to walk by then what existed before. It was designed by professional coastal engineers. Importantly, the toestone is set several feet landward of the original structure, so beach walkers actually have more space to walk by then they did for the past ~30 years when the prior seawall loomed ominously over passersby. As part of our development plans, landscaping works will top-dress the upper half of the rockery with sand which will then be planted with native coastal plants, naturalizing the rockery as much as possible.
With respect to the house we are building, it is a seasonal dwelling for our large family and guests. In time it will become a full time residence. Our architect is from Nova Scotia and has done numerous sensitive projects in PEI and other maritime environments. The home will be a modern interpretation of the traditional saltbox architectural genre. We expect it to be a dignified addition to the coastline, respectful of island history. We have great respect for architecture and its impact on the community. In terms of the positioning of the house, it is in fact more than 30' setback from the location of the house that existed before, therefore not as close as the prior structure was to the beach.
In summary, the new rock slope shore protection is safer andeasier to walk around then the old seawall, and the new home is set back further from the Gulf than what existed prior.
We care very much for PEI, and as property stewards for this beautiful site, we wanted to take the time to provide the community with accurate information about its history and our plans. It is possible some folks may not know what existed before our activity, and we understand the concerns and questions they rightly have.
We chose PEI over other locations because of the natural beauty of the island and the respectful nature of its people. Hopefully this website will demonstrate our commitment to being respectful neighbours and addressing some of the concerns and misinformation circulating within the community.
Information About The New Private Home At Point Deroche
This site was created to inform the public about the private family home being built at Point Deroche. There is a large amount of misinformation being circulated about the project. The objective of this site is to provide factual information to those interested about the project. You can read more about us and learn about the history of the site and the current project below.
Improved Accessibility for Beach Walkers
The primary criticism circulating in the media is the notion that the new rock-slope shore protection, which replaced the vertical seawall that stood for over 30 years, is encroaching on the beach and impeding public access more than the previous seawall.
This claim is incorrect.
The edge of the new shoreline protection is a minimum of 3 feet and as much as 10 feet inland of the old seawall, resulting in improved accessibility compared to what existed in the past.
Impact of Erosion on the neighbouring Shoreline
Historical wind and wave processes have eroded the shoreline on either side of the old seawall. This took place long before the new owners purchased the property.
It is important to understand this has been an ongoing issue over the several decades since the original owners built their seawall.
If one does not take this into consideration, they may incorrectly conclude the shoreline protection newly obstructs the beach.
Old Seawall was Toxic & at risk of Falling into the Sea
The old seawall was in poor condition. It was filled with salvaged concrete, some of which became dislodged from the seawall over time and littered the nearby beaches at both east and west ends.
The timber in the seawall was treated with creosote, a chemical banned from use in marine applications. It is a known human carcinogen and environmental contaminant.
Professionals involved in this work believe the old vertical seawall would been destroyed by Hurricane Fiona.
The Old Seawall
Some people are unaware that this site was developed in the 1980s. The old seawall stood for decades until it was replaced in 2022. The erosion of the beach on either side over 30 years has long made this location difficult to safely walk around at high tide.
New Shoreline Protection & Planned Site Restoration
The new bio-engineered shoreline restoration will ensure the shoreline can withstand the harsh climate and restore native plants and biodiversity. Removal of the environmentally toxic creosote timber and future naturalization of the shoreline will be a vast improvement over the old seawall.
New Shoreline Protection Progress Photos
The recent impact of Hurricane Fiona has accelerated neighbouring shoreline erosion, although it is likely the new rock-slope shore protection mitigated damage to the neighbouring properties. The new shoreline is vastly safer to walk around than the old seawall.
Discussion & Frequently Asked Questions
There is widespread misinformation concerning the Point Deroche House and the new shoreline protection.
Please Give Us Your Feedback
We are listening. We care about PEI too. Please feel free to use this form to share your feedback with us. Your comments and suggestions will be read.
All submissions will be screened by a 3rd party to delete any responses that include any foul language, threats, bullying or intimidation.
Point Deroche - Discussion & Frequently Asked Questions
“When my information changes, I alter my conclusions. What do you do, sir?”
John Maynard Keynes
Many honest and hard working people are associated with the project at Point Deroche. They are often confronted with misinformed criticism about the project. The majority of the criticism is based on false information about the new rock-slope shore protection and house construction project. The aim of this website is to provide factual information to the public.
The view, held among a vocal minority, that public access has been obstructed, is a serious charge. The new owners of the property agree that the public has a right to be outraged at the blockage of a public beach, even if not many people routinely venture to the area in question (the house at Point Deroche is remote, requiring a round trip walk of 7km from Blooming Point).
We do not like to see people misled. We believe that if the public has an opportunity to review the facts, they will be empowered to make their own independent judgement on the principle accusation: have the new owners at Point Deroche blocked the beach?
We Admire the Spirit of the Grassroots Campaign
While we disagree with many of the incorrect claims, we do admire the well co-ordinated publicity campaign. The campaign shows great civic pride and commitment to environmental ideals, many of which should be widely held views by all those who love Prince Edward Island. It is regrettable that much of the focus of this grassroots movement is expended on the false notion that beach access has been newly blocked. Nevertheless, concerned citizens have proven that a small but committed group can exercise a form of “minority rule” by having their opinions dominate the mainstream view, and thusly, influence public policy.
We do not believe that protecting one’s property and protecting the environment are incompatible. We love the shorelines of PEI just as you do, and we want to protect our property, just as most people would if they owned an oceanfront property threatened by erosion. In our case, we did not have to make the difficult initial decision to build shoreline protection as there was already a seawall in this location for decades - we have replaced the old seawall built by the original property owner with better engineered, natural rock-slope shore protection. Had the neighbouring land owners also chosen to protect their shoreline at the same time in the 1990s, the shoreline would be more uniform in appearance in this area. Cooperation among neighbouring property owners installing shoreline protection may be an important factor to optimally manage erosion in oceanfront communities going forwards.
We do not know if the current regulations on shorefront development and protection are sufficient to strike the correct balance between environmental concerns and the rights of property owners. But if this campaign can help facilitate a conversation among all stakeholders on the best path forward for PEI, that would be a positive outcome. If it is the will of the islanders, I expect they will see some of the principle ideas of this movement reflected in future legislation.
What Troubles us about the Grassroots Campaign
Respectful discourse is a hallmark of functioning society. We have received numerous letters and emails of complaint. All of these communications centre around the accusation that we have blocked the beach. We greatly respect the majority of citizens who, while we believe incorrect in their view that we have blocked the beach, shared their objections in a civilized manner.
Unfortunately, we have also received threats against our property and suggestions of worse. While these threatening communications are in the minority, they are concerning. As a result, security systems have been installed.
There has been numerous cases of trespass on the private laneway to the site. We kindly ask that our privacy be respected.
Thank You
We would like to acknowledge the individuals who recognize the seaward footprint of the new rock-slope shore protection is no larger than the old, and have quietly expressed their indignation at the spread of misinformation to the contrary. We would rather be considered a friend to the community than an enemy, and we look forward to spending quality time in PEI.
Parting Thoughts
Social media can play a dangerous role amplifying false information. We know it is hard for people to accept new information that contradicts strongly held prior opinions, even when the new information is credible and may invalidate previously held assumptions.
The original Islander-resident owner built a large seawall to protect this property around 30 years ago. The seawall protected the property from the erosion that has gradually taken a toll on the shoreline of the neighbouring properties. As a result of erosion on the adjacent properties, beach access has been increasingly compromised in this location for decades. There was no apparent outrage in years past.
We leave it to the reader to decide if the new property owners have “blocked the beach” or, rather, have made passage safer, and more accessible, relative to the old seawall that existed before for decades.
FAQ
“There should be no seawall, it blocks the beach”
Many people apparently do not know there was a seawall in this location for approximately 30 years. It's not a new addition - it's been there for decades. The old seawall seems to have escaped scrutiny and outrage, unlike the new rock-slope shore protection with its slightly smaller seaward footprint. The new shore protection provides better access compared to the old seawall, by as much as 10 feet in locations where the old salvaged concrete, often with rebar, was piled against the old seawall. The new shoreline protection is setback from the old seawall.
“The new house will fall into the ocean”
We appreciate your concern about the new house. The new shore protection is designed to withstand strong hurricanes like Fiona, which hit the north shore of Prince Edward Island and caused as much as 30 feet of shoreline to disappear on the nearby beach. The new shoreline protection held up perfectly during the hurricane.
“The old seawall was just fine”
While the old seawall did a good job in the past, it was at the end of its life. It was also made with creosote, which is a dangerous chemical that can cause cancer and pollute the environment. Experts think the old seawall would not have survived a hurricane like Fiona and the old house would probably be in the ocean now. The new property owners relied on the expertise of local and national consultants to design the new shoreline protection. The team includes the same experts who oversaw the design and construction of the shoreline protection at nearby Crowbush Cove.
“There should be a stop work order on the house, they are not allowed to build there”
The property is privately owned and all activity is lawfully permitted. The lot was already developed and there has been a house there for almost 40 years. The new house is 30 feet back from the old one.
“The prior owner was shocked to see the demolition of the heritage house and old seawall”
We don't know if the old house was officially designated as a heritage site. The sale of the property was conditional on getting permits for the demolition of the old house and seawall. There was no clause in the contract for a home inspection. The previous owner had the option to remove the old house at their own expense, but they didn't do it.
“Money must have changed hands get this approved - politicians are in their pocket”
The property owners paid the normal fees required for the building and development. The permit process was very thorough and lasted many months. The property owners do not know the names of any politicians in PEI or which party is in control of the government.
“Money Talks”
We are not sure what is meant by this. But we would note that the economic contribution of this project to PEI is significant. The general economy will benefit, which is especially important in this challenging economic environment, as nearly the entirety of the construction budget will flow to local businesses, who will create jobs to service the project. These individuals will then go on to spend their money in support of the local economy, donate to their local charities, and pay taxes to local governments. All of this helps support the virtuous cycle of economic activity that underpins our society.
“It is owned by a Corporation”
The new property owners are a family from rural Ontario. The property was purchased personally through an entity known as a Bare Trustee - it is not an active business nor does it confer any tax benefits whatsoever. It simply provides a measure of privacy on title.
“They have destroyed dunes, its an ecological disaster. The granite boulders look awful.”
No dunes were on the previously developed site; no habitat has been destroyed. The old house footprint, septic, and decking were built on an area of infill at the edge of the shoreline that spanned the full frontage of the shoreline, directly abutting the old seawall. The property owners wanted to use sandstone, but the engineers said local red sandstone wouldn't be strong enough for the wave action in this area. They're looking into ways to make the rockery look more natural.
“The construction site is a mess.”
The commentary associated with photos of the site in the media describe a construction zone as though it represents a permanent aberration on the landscape. Most people understand that construction sites are very raw spaces during the building phase. Best efforts will be made to naturalize the site once construction is complete. Much of the top section of the rock-slope shore protection will be densely planted to establish habitat and minimize the visible rockery.