Caraquet, New Brunswick – The Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced that the Government of Canada is investing up to $12.3 million to clean up and repair storm-damaged harbours in New Brunswick.
"Our Government is committed to helping families and communities respond to challenges," said Minister Ashfield. "Repairing harbours will help local fishing and marine industries – and the families and communities they support – to get back on their feet."
Today's investment will fund cleanup and repair projects at over 40 harbours. The Government is working to ensure fishing harbours required for the spring 2011 fisheries will be repaired to a condition that allows safe access for commercial fishers. Urgent work has already begun. Projects requiring major interventions will be carried out over the next two years.
In the fall and winter of 2010, Hurricane Igor in Newfoundland, the Manitoba "Weather Bomb", and the December storms in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, caused damage to fishing harbours in more than 250 communities. Nationally, the Government of Canada is investing $71.6 million to clean up and repair harbours and help communities recover from these devastating storms.
Over the past months, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been working with local communities, harbour authorities and Public Works and Government Services Canada to assess damages. This funding will allow the Department to continue on-site assessments and engineering studies, as well as undertake the necessary cleanup and repair projects.
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For Broadcast:
The Government of Canada is providing up to $12.3 million to clean up and repair storm‑damaged harbours in New Brunswick. The funding will help communities, as well as fishing and marine industries recover from last December's storms in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. These storms caused unprecedented damage to fishing harbours relied on by local fishing and marine industries.
For more information:
Erin Filliter
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
613-995-2960
Kate Davis
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
613-992-3474
NR-G-11-02E
