The health and safety of visitors and employees is Parks Canada’s top priority. Parks Canada continues to follow provincial public health measures. For more information regarding Parks Canada and Covid-19, visit https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/securite-safety/covid-19-info
Fort McNab was the gatekeeper of Halifax Harbour for many decades because of its strategic location and advanced technology. Located at the southern end of McNabs Island, the fort was once part of Canada’s front line of seaward defence. Today, the remains of the fortifications can be accessed by rough trail and former military roads on the island. The guns, shelters and searchlight emplacements are an enduring reminder of the importance of this once-formidable fort.
From the 1880s and for more than half a century, Fort McNab played a key role in the Halifax Defence System, guarding one of the British Empire’s (and then Canada’s) most significant naval stations. Fort McNab is a part of the Halifax Defence Complex. British and Canadian military forces built many forts and batteries over the years to protect Halifax and its harbour. Five of these fortifications, known as the Halifax Defence Complex, are national historic sites owned and operated by Parks Canada. These sites are being preserved and maintained for current and future generations to discover.
