A critical link is on the way to help municipalities and Nova Scotia work together to protect coastal communities from climate change.

The province says they will spend over $470,000 over three years to hire a coastal protection coordinator, hired by the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities.

They will help with zoning, land-use planning and building permits.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Timothy Halman says our government loves our coast and is committed to protecting it.

“Climate change response requires all hands on deck and the province has committed to working lock-step with municipalities on coastal protection and supporting them.”

It comes after the province scrapped the Coastal Protection Act in February, announcing a new plan with 15 actions for municipalities and property owners to take on their own.

The province took a lot of heat for that move after over three years of hard work.

Ecology Action Centre President Marla MacLeod said many municipalities were already drafting their own rules but stopped in anticipation of the Coastal Protection Act.

MacLeod said she was “shocked and appalled” when they cancelled it.

Nova Scotia has a 13,000km coastline which is currently protected from development inside things like provincial and national parks, wilderness areas, nature reserves and national wildlife areas.

The coordinator is expected to start work in June.

-With files from Kelli Rickard