OREANDA-NEWS. July 19, 2016. Small craft harbours play an important role in providing coastal communities and the commercial fishing industry with safe and accessible facilities. With more than 76,000 Canadians employed in this sector, the Government of Canada is making investments that will continue to support the growth of this industry and provide economic opportunities for middle-class Canadians.

On behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Kings – Hants, announced today that the Government of Canada will invest, this year, approximately \\$47 million in small craft harbour improvement projects across Nova Scotia.

At Hall’s Harbour, a project is being undertaken to replace a deteriorated wharf with a new structure. This will provide a safe working environment for harbour users over the long term. The work is expected to be completed in the summer of 2017.

Hall’s Harbour is home port to 12 fishing vessels with landings of over \\$1.9 million annually.

Quick Facts

  • The Government of Canada is investing \\$289 million this year in Canadian small craft harbours, including funding recently announced in Budget 2016.
  • The mandate of the Small Craft Harbours Program is to keep harbours critical to the commercial fishing industry open and in good repair.
  • Small craft harbours provide critical support to the commercial fishing industry, which contributed \\$6 billion to the Canadian economy in 2015.
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada supports more than 1000 harbours across Canada with more than 5000 volunteers from harbour authorities.
  • Harbour restoration projects are undertaken in cooperation with the local harbour authorities that manage and operate facilities for local users.

Quotes

 “Small craft harbours are the lifeblood of coastal and waterfront communities and key contributors to the Canadian economy. Our Government is committed to the commercial fishing industry and to providing essential harbour facilities for the dedicated fish harvesters and their families who depend upon this infrastructure for their livelihood. I am pleased to announce this investment in Hall’s Harbour that will allow it to operate safely and efficiently for years to come.”  

Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament, Kings – Hants

“Infrastructure investment is a priority for our Government. It is good for all Canadians and good for the Canadian economy. It’s just one more example of the federal government’s commitment to promote the fishing industry—a key economic sector for a number of regions. We are proud of this investment, which will foster employment opportunities that benefit local workers and support coastal communities across the country for years to come.”

Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

Associated Links

For more information on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Small Craft Harbours Program: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sch-ppb/home-accueil-eng.htm

The Government of Canada announces \\$289 million for harbour improvement projects across the country: http://news.gc.ca/web/articleen.do?mthd=tp&crtr.page=1&nid=1069639