An HDR panoramic image of The Battery community in St John's harbour, Newfoundland, Canada.
The Government of Canada will invest more than $101 million over three years to continue important work at 26 harbours in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In total, $463.3 million will be invested to repair and maintain small harbours damaged by Hurricane Fiona. This is in addition to the $90 million already allocated annually for these harbours.
Specifically, more than $53 million of this overall investment in Newfoundland and Labrador will be dedicated to reconstructing and repairing piers, breakwater and other critical harbour infrastructure.
This announcement was made by the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
Furthermore, Ministers Hutchings and Lebouthillier also announced the awarding of a $13.2 million contract to upgrade the Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue Station in Lark Harbour.
This contract includes a new pier wharf for docking and enhanced vessel protection; two floating docks to accommodate new larger lifeboats; and upgraded fuel storage, power, and lighting.
The government places special emphasis on the importance of the fishing, aquaculture, construction, and marine engineering sectors for many coastal communities across the country.
Considering the challenges of climate change, investment is being made in more resilient infrastructure and, above all, safety for harbour users.
"As the nation with the longest coastline in the world, we must invest in resilient harbour infrastructure capable of facing the climate challenges of today and tomorrow. This is important to support strong rural economies, food security and marine safety," explained Diane Lebouthillier.
Finally, Churence Rogers, Member of Parliament for Bonavista-Burin-Trinity: "This investment will not only renew and maintain the infrastructure that is essential to the region but also stimulate job opportunities that will benefit harvesters and support our local communities for years to come."
Just a few days ago, the Government of Canada gave $1.2 million in funding, under the Aquatic Ecosystems Restoration Fund (AERF), to support wild Atlantic salmon in Newfoundland and Labrador.