Parks Canada Holds Opening Ceremony for the Marine Environment Discovery Centre, in Les Escoumins

News Release

LES ESCOUMINS, QUEBEC, June 29, 2006 -- On behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of Canada Economic Development, inaugurated the Marine Environment Discovery Centre today.
"The Marine Environment Discovery Centre is an exceptional asset to Parks Canada. This new place of discovery will give Canadians knowledge and appreciation of the St. Lawrence and its resources, thereby furthering Parks Canada's mission to educate. The centre will raise awareness of the necessity to protect and value the St. Lawrence and its resources," declared Minister Ambrose.
The Marine Environment Discovery Centre promotes the many themes relating to the St. Lawrence Estuary. It is a place of integration that aims to raise visitors' awareness of the value of the marine environment while enabling them to pursue their discovery of this representative portion of the marine park. Situated in Les Escoumins, the Marine Environment Discovery Centre is the newest addition to the Discovery Network of the Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park. Canada Economic Development and Parks Canada respectively invested $1 million and $500 000 in the creation of the Marine Environment Discovery Centre.
"Today, the Marine Environment Discovery Centre is an indispensable part of the tourist circuit in the North Shore region. It has strengthened and diversified the region's tourist supply. I am proud that the department that I head has contributed to this project. The development of a vigorous tourism industry is a priority for Canada Economic Development. The resulting economic benefits contribute significantly to the local communities' quality of life," declared Minister Blackburn.
The Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park is located in a section of the St. Lawrence Estuary and the Saguenay Fjord. With a surface area of 1 138 km², this large ecosystem is unique because of its sea bottom topography and its fjord. The Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park is the first park in Quebec to protect and present an exclusively marine environment. It has the distinctive feature of being managed jointly by the governments of Canada and Quebec, in association with local bodies.
Information:
Ryan Sparrow
Associate Director and Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
(819) 997-1441
Odette Lachance
Communications Advisor
Quebec Service Centre
Parks Canada
(418) 648-4167
Roxane Marchand
Press Secretary
Cabinet of the Honourable
Jean-Pierre Blackburn
Canada Economic Development
Tel: (819) 953-5646
Cell: (613) 816-5094
Email: roxane.marchand@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Claudie Lamontagne
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel: (418) 722-3282
claudie.lamontagne@dec-ced.gc.ca

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Parks Canada Holds Opening Ceremony for the Marine Environment Discovery Centre, in Les Escoumins

News Release

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