15/03/2005 - The Honourable
Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
and the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister
of Environment, today announced details of
Budget 2005 benefiting the Great Lakes Region.
The Ministers explained the details pertaining
to the aquatic elements of the National Invasive
Alien Species Strategy for Canada, the Great
Lakes Action Plan and the Canadian Coast Guard
Program.
Among the measures announced by Finance Minister
Ralph Goodale, is an $85 million investment
on a National Invasive Alien Species strategy
for work being undertaken by Environment Canada,
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Natural Resources
Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Working with key stakeholders and partners,
the Government of Canada will further strengthen
efforts to prevent the introduction, and,
where possible, minimize the impacts of invasive
alien species already among us.
"The new funding dealing with aquatic
invasive alien species will benefit the Great
Lakes," explained Minister Regan. "We
now will be better able to minimize the negative
impact of aquatic invasive species and help
protect our natural environment. The funding
will help us restore or maintain native species
and focus on minimizing the introduction of
new invaders." Fisheries and Oceans Canada
will work with its partners and stakeholders
to address priority pathways of introduction
for aquatic invasive alien species.
Environment Minister Stéphane Dion
noted that "preventing the introduction
of new invaders, together with managing already
established invasive alien species, is part
of a larger national strategy aimed at reducing
the threat that these species represent to
Canada's biodiversity and economic well-being."
He added "the funding for the Great Lakes
Action Plan will allow our government to continue
the progressive partnership with the Government
of Ontario, lakeside municipalities, industries
and community groups who continue the important
work of restoring the ecological integrity
and economic potential of a region that includes
a quarter of Canada's population."
Included in the package of environmental
initiatives for the Great Lakes is an additional
$10 million over five years invested in the
Sea Lamprey Control Program that is especially
important for the Great Lakes. This species
has contributed to the loss of fisheries and
has been implicated in the extinction of deepwater
cisco and has been very difficult to control.
The $40 million to bring forward the next
phase of the Great Lakes Action Plan will
allow for the continuation of the environmental
restoration of key aquatic areas of concern
identified under the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement between Canada and the United States.
Led by Environment Canada, eight Government
of Canada departments are involved in the
initiative, including Fisheries and Oceans
Canada.
Minister Regan also outlined the benefits
of the new marine security funding for the
region. "The Canadian Coast Guard is
receiving funding for the acquisition and
operation of four new mid-shore patrol vessels
that will be used for security on the Great
Lakes and St. Lawrence River" Minister
Regan confirmed. The vessels will be jointly
operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
This funding is part of the $222 million (on
an accrual accounting basis over five years)
allocated to federal security agencies to
increase security on the Great Lakes and the
St. Lawrence River System. In addition, the
CCG will also receive $276 million over the
next five years to begin the modernization
of its fleet. This will involve the acquisition
of two offshore fisheries-research vessels
and four mid-shore patrol vessels for the
purpose of fishery enforcement.
"An enhanced presence on the Great Lakes
will help us to meet commitments set out in
Canada's National Security Policy and the
Canada-US Smart Border Accord to secure our
borders and work with public safety partners
in Canada and the United States" said
the Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of public Safety and
Emergency Preparedness.
The new funding will benefit Canadians by
allowing the Coast Guard to better carry out
its mandate of saving lives, supporting marine
security, protecting fisheries, enhancing
maritime safety, facilitating marine commerce
and protecting the marine environment. It
will also enable the Coast Guard to fulfill
its commitment toward the government's Oceans
Action Plan including at-sea science and enforcement
activities.
