‘It guts us’: Curator fears for future of Joggins Fossil Institute after provincial funding cuts

The curator of Nova Scotia’s Joggins Fossil Institute says a 20 per cent cut to its provincial funding will devastate operations and force the cancellation of educational programs that reach hundreds of students each year.

“It guts us,” said Jade Atkins, curator and director of science and research for the institute, which administers the Joggins Fossil Cliffs UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Joggins Fossil Centre in Cumberland County.

“Everyone here wears many hats. We are effectively losing our ability to do outreach at this time.”

Atkins said the province is reducing the institute’s annual operating grant by $55,000, dropping it from $275,000 to $220,000 as part of a broad range of reductions to the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage.

The new funding allocation is lower than the $250,000 the institute received when it first gained UNESCO designation in 2008, she said.

Operating with a core team of four permanent employees, the institute hires about 10 seasonal staff from May to October.

Atkins said one of the biggest losses will be to outreach programs that bring science education to schools and community events across Cumberland County.

“For me, not being able to do that is a huge blow,” she said.

“It’s something that we put a lot of value in, our community puts a lot of value in us being able to do it, but there is no real monetary value that we can give to the province.”

The institute was already facing rising costs and deferred maintenance before the cuts were announced. Atkins said the centre’s heating system has been deficient for years, and the beach access stairs require yearly repairs due to the powerful Bay of Fundy tides.

In a statement to CBC News, a spokesperson for the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage said provincial grants are “just one part of a broader funding mix, and many organizations will be able to adapt while continuing to deliver their programs.”

“That said, we recognize these changes will be more challenging for some, and we will work with them to understand their concerns,” it said.

Tourist attraction

In a news release, the institute notes that tourism brought $3.7 billion to the Nova Scotia economy in 2025, with visitors citing Joggins Fossil Cliffs as a top attraction.

The institute sees more than 10,000 paid admissions annually, and Atkins said at least as many other people visit the beach for free.

“When they’re cutting funding at this scale, it forces us to also have to think exclusively on how we can generate revenue and less so on how to give back to our communities,” Atkins said.

She fears the cuts will bring a halt to the future of fossil research in the province.

Joggins is a repository for the Nova Scotia Museum, and scientists study specimens on site.

She warns the cuts may mean important fossils have to be studied elsewhere.

The province’s official fossil, Hylonomus lyelli, which was found at Joggins, is housed at the British Museum.

Atkins expects to meet with Cumberland South MLA Tory Rushton at the end of April and said she plans to tell him that cuts to the arts and culture sector will hurt tourism, which makes up 2.7 per cent of the province’s GDP.

Atkins said she’s concerned about the institute’s future but is trying to remain optimistic.

On Tuesday, the Houston government announced it was rolling back some of its planned budget cuts.

With the budget still not passed, Atkins is calling on supporters to contact their MLAs, the premier’s office and relevant cabinet ministers to advocate for the restoration of the institute’s funding.

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