14 October 2010
Matane, Quebec
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today visited the Méridien Maritime Reparation shipyard, in Matane, Quebec, to see first-hand the progress in building three new Canadian Coast Guard vessels that will be used to help protect Canada’s inshore fisheries. The project, funded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, is creating jobs and helping to support Canada’s shipbuilding industry.
“These new vessels will benefit maritime communities by providing valuable scientific insight into preserving and replenishing inshore fisheries,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The construction, maintenance and operation of these ships will also generate new jobs and provide an economic boost to the community of Matane.”
The new vessels will be based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Shippagan, New Brunswick; and Mont-Joli, Quebec. They will replace existing vessels nearing the end of their service lives. These new vessels will serve as platforms for scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to conduct valuable oceanographic and scientific research.
The contract for the vessels was awarded in February and is being funded through Canada’s Economic Action Plan. In the Economic Action Plan Budget of 2009, the Harper Government allocated $175 million for new Coast Guard vessels and for the repair of aging ones.
