Carney announces $1.2 billion for ocean protection as major projects advance

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced $1.2 billion in federal funding for ocean protection measures as Ottawa weighs major energy and port projects on the West Coast. The funding will support steps such as expanding the Canadian Coast Guard’s ability to monitor marine traffic, creating a national nearshore weather forecasting system, and improving response plans for marine mammals in the event of an oil spill. It also includes upgrades to search and rescue stations, better seabed mapping, and more fisheries conservation work. Carney said the money is meant to strengthen protections as shipping traffic is expected to rise if a proposed pipeline to British Columbia’s south coast and the Roberts Bank terminal expansion move ahead. The package also includes funds for underwater noise monitoring, fisheries enforcement, and stewardship work in the Lower Fraser River Estuary and the Great Bear Sea region.