Minister Shea Announces Close to $1 Million for a Major Harbour Improvement Project at West Point

News Release

Contract Awarded to Island Coastal Services from Prince Edward Island

January 12, 2015 - West Point, Prince Edward Island

The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Regional Minister for PEI and MP for Egmont, today announced that the Government of Canada has awarded a contract of $963,763 through a public tendering process to Island Coastal Services from PEI for a major harbour infrastructure project at West Point, PEI. Work on the harbour is expected to commence soon.

The project will consist of constructing a service area which will provide much needed parking, and the east breakwater will be reconstructed to widen the footprint and increase the height of the crest. This will improve the protection in the basin and reduce the amount of sand moving into the harbour.

This project is being funded from Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2014, which provided an additional investment of $40 million over two years for repair, construction and maintenance projects at Canada’s small craft harbours.

New investments in infrastructure were recently announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper under the New Building Canada Plan, which includes an additional $288 million for small craft harbours across Canada over the next two years.

Quick Facts

Small craft harbours support nearly 90% of all fishing landings in Canada.
The small craft harbour at West Point is managed by the Harbour Authority of West Point.
There are 39 homeport fleet vessels operating out of this harbour.
The primary fisheries at this harbour are lobster, herring, snow crab, mackerel and scallop. Preliminary landing values in 2013 are estimated at over $2 million.
In the last five fiscal years the Government of Canada has invested approximately $1.4 million in the small craft harbour at West Point.

Quotes

“Our Government understands the importance of small craft harbours to our fishermen and coastal communities. That is why we are proud to partner with our local Harbour Authorities to improve our facilities. West Point harbour is vital to PEI’s fishing industry and this project will enable fishermen to safely and profitably do their work.”

The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Regional Minister for PEI and MP for Egmont