Fish are returning and healthy after Sydney tar ponds cleanup

Thirteen years after a $400 million cleanup of the Sydney tar ponds and coke ovens sites in Nova Scotia, independent water quality testing shows fish are bouncing back: mummichogs no longer show abnormalities and trout are appearing in local brooks.

Water testing shows the cap is holding stable; occasional heavy-rain spikes in heavy metals are caught by monitoring and treated. Full ecosystem recovery takes longer than initial remediation.