SOS – Synergy on Sable Island

The Sable Island Station is the only permanently staffed facility on the Island. For many decades the Station's primary role on the Island was the collection of weather data, but during the last few decades its role has greatly expanded. The continuous human presence on Sable Island provides year-round stewardship, as well as infrastructure and expertise enabling a wide range of programs relevant to issues of sovereignty, safety, terrestrial, marine and atmospheric environment, and heritage. Without the capacity and capability provided by the Station such programs would be prohibitively expensive and, in some cases, logistically impossible, and most, if not all, would be terminated. If the Sable Island Station is closed, and the continuous human presence removed, there will be no effective conservation and protection for Sable Island, and the various support services and research and monitoring programs will end.

The conservation and management challenges of Sable Island are daunting. Given its biodiversity and cultural value, threats to its wildlife and habitats, the need for research and monitoring in support of conservation, and the expensive logistics associated with working on the island, it will always be very difficult, if considered on a project-by-project basis, to meet legislative and other commitments to protect its values. However, if ever there was an operation that should not be considered on a project-by-project basis, it is the Sable Island Station. Indeed, the strength of the Station is in the synergy of facilities and programs, which taken together produce for Canadians an ensemble of services and achievements far greater than the sum of its parts.

It costs roughly $1 million annually to operate the Sable Island Station. If the only program carried out by the Station was aerology, most would agree it would be at too high a cost. Or if the only activity enabled by the Station was protection of the nesting terns, again it would be deemed too high a cost. Or if the only service provided by the Station was refueling for Search & Rescue helicopters, the cost would be prohibitive. Likewise, each of many other programs - horse research, the geomagnetic observatory, the aviation beacon, oiled seabird surveys etc - when considered alone would not be worth the expense. However when all these and the many other programs and services supported and provided by the Sable Island Station are considered together, the operation is highly cost-effective for Canada in addressing a wide range of commitments, concerns and interests.

An example of this synergy is in how the Station, by carrying out the aerology program for the Meteorological Service, is necessarily staffed year-round and consequently provides infrastructure and services that enable other research and monitoring groups to operate on Sable Island safely and efficiently.  These groups in turn pay for services provided by the Station (electricity, transport, security etc) thus contributing funding to the Station.  Every program presently carried out on Sable Island benefits from this synergy. Each program enhances the efficiency of every other program.  Furthermore, this synergy is evident in the Sable Island “community”.  The Sable Island Station is part of a community of interests and operators that includes numerous federal and provincial government departments, various universities, and the offshore energy industry.  Financial and in-kind contributions provided by "stakeholders" since 1997 demonstrate that this community shares both an understanding of the need for, and a commitment to, maintaining a secure and stable human presence on the Island.

This synergy must be fundamental in any discussion regarding the future of the Island and the Station, and should be reflected in the approach taken by government departments in assessing the problem of funding and management for the Island operation. There has been a tendency during some deliberations on the future funding and management of the Station to dismiss the very real synergy in the Sable Island situation, and to consider the Island’s programs in isolation. However, no single government department (or branch) is likely to provide the funding needed to support the Station, and because the interests of so many departments – e.g. Environment Canada, Fisheries & Oceans, National Defence, Foreign Affairs, Heritage - are all served by the continuous human presence on Sable Island, no single department should have to bear the full cost - the cost should be shared, and if shared it becomes far more manageable for all concerned.

With stable funding and effective management the Sable Island Station would be able to continue to manage and implement maintenance and logistics for all island users, reducing the cost and complexity for everyone. The public has a great interest in, and affection for, Sable Island, and there is significant support for the Station. People understand why it is important and how it benefits the Island, and most recognize that the best option to address the diverse challenges is to maintain the small, multi-skilled, team of people continuously present on the Island. Secure funding and an effective management organization would ensure that the Station is provided with staff, resources and a clear mandate necessary to maintain capability and enhance expertise for the long-term conservation of Sable Island.