Wasagaming, Manitoba, April 1st, 2010 -- The Honourable Jim Prentice, Canada's Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced that Riding Mountain National Park has completed the first stage of remediation of a contaminated site at the maintenance yard of the picturesque Clear Lake Golf Course. In addition to reducing potential risks to human health and restoring the environmental quality of the area, this work prevents the offsite movement of contaminants and will ensure the continued protection of Clear Lake and the groundwater supply in the area.
"Thanks to investments made in Canada's Economic Action Plan, we are taking action to clean up the legacy of contaminated sites across Canada by accelerating assessments and remediation work," said Minister Prentice. "The maintenance yard at the Clear Lake Golf Course in Riding Mountain National Park is one of the sites targeted by the Federal Contaminated Site Action Plan. Thanks to this initiative, Parks Canada will be able to continue protecting our natural heritage in the park while providing real and inspiring experiences.
The project, with a cost of $800,000, was funded by the Federal Contaminated Site Action Plan, a program established to address contaminated sites under the responsibility of federal government departments. During the course of the project contamination that resulted from a former underground gasoline storage tank at the maintenance yard was removed. The smaller final phase of this project will take place in 2011 and this will complete the clean-up of this site.
"This project demonstrates the Government's commitment to environmental clean-up, and to generating economic opportunities for the local economy," said Mr. Inky Mark, MP for Dauphin - Swan River - Marquette."Through the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, we are addressing contaminated sites, helping to create new green spaces and ensuring healthier bodies of water and cleaner soils."
Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the federal government provided an additional $80 million to the existing Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan. This additional investment will enable action on site assessments and continued program management and accelerate environmental remediation and risk management activity on priority federal contaminated sites across Canada.
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Information:
Cam McKillop
Environmental Stewardship Officer
Riding Mountain National Park
Parks Canada
(204) 848-7213
Cate Watrous
Communications & Public Relations Officer
Riding Mountain National Park
Parks Canada
(204) 848-0399
