Government of Canada makes a significant investment to restore the coastal habitats of five sectors on the south shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary

News Release

February 22, 2018 – Notre-Dame-du-Portage, Québec

The protection and restoration of the environment is a top priority of the Government of Canada, which is providing resources through the Oceans Protection Plan for environmental protection and restoration. Canadians and future generations will benefit from healthier ecosystems that support marine wildlife, as a result of Canada-wide Coastal Restoration Fund projects.

Rémi Massé, Member of Parliament for Avignon – La Mitis – Matane –Matapédia, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced today that the ZIP Committee of Sud-de-l’Estuaire will receive nearly $2.4 million over five years for a project to help restore the coastal habitats of five sectors on the south shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary.

The goal of the project is to restore coastal habitats in the sectors of Saint-Ulric, Isle-aux-Grues, Rivière-Ouelle, Notre-Dame-du-Portage, and Trois-Pistoles. The objective is to mitigate the threats to forage fish populations, which are typically found in the south shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary, and to increase their resilience to climate change.

In May 2017, the Government of Canada announced the $75 million Coastal Restoration Fund to help rehabilitate some of our most important coastlines and protect marine life and ecosystems. The Coastal Restoration Fund supports projects that contribute to coastal restoration on all of Canada’s coasts with preference given to projects that are multiyear and involve a broad number of partners, including Indigenous groups.

The $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan is the largest investment ever made to protect Canada’s coasts and waterways. In collaboration with Indigenous peoples, local stakeholders and coastal communities, the Government of Canada is creating a world-leading marine safety system that provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coasts and waterways for generations to come.

Quotes

“The Government of Canada is committed to protecting our coasts – that’s why we announced the Oceans Protection Plan, which will help restore and protect marine ecosystems and habitats. The $75 million Coastal Restoration Fund provides an opportunity to address threats to our ocean and coastal areas. I am pleased that our collaboration with the ZIP Committee of Sud-de-l’Estuaire will ensure healthy, thriving coastal habitats in the southern St. Lawrence Estuary for future generations.”
The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

“This investment from the Government of Canada to restore coastal habitats on the south shore of the St. Lawrence Estuary is a strategic initiative that will represent a significant advantage for Quebec. In addition to fostering regional synergy between the ZIP Committee of Sud-de-l’Estuaire and its partners, the project will help reinforce the capacity of several organizations to restore key habitats and to share knowledge about the various actions that will be taken.”
Rémi Massé, Member of Parliament for Avignon–La Mitis–Matane–Matapédia

Quick Facts

The long-term objective of this project is to mitigate threats to fish populations at the bottom of the food chain, such as the capelin, the American smelt, the stickleback and the herring, and to establish the conditions essential to their resilience to climate change.
In return, the project will benefit the St. Lawrence belugas, seals and several fish species, such as cod, redfish, flounder, salmon and the American eel, species that are present in the key sectors of Isle-aux-Grues, Rivière-Ouelle, Notre-Dame-du-Portage, Trois-Pistoles and Saint-Ulric.
The ZIP Committee of Sud-de-l’Estuaire can count on numerous partners, including the Université du Québec à Rimouski, the Quebec Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Environment and Climate Change Canada and the organization Nature Conservancy of Canada.

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Contacts

Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
613-990-7537
Media.xncr@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Vincent Hughes
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
613-992-3474
vincent.hughes@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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Internet: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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Date modified:: 2018-02-22

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