From the Atlantic shores of Newfoundland and Labrador to the Arctic Ocean in Nunavut to the Pacific coast of British Columbia, small craft harbors are at the heart of Canada’s coastal communities. They are vital to fisheries sector, while supporting tourism and safe access to waterways for everyone.
The Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, and Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, highlighted Budget 2024’s investment in small craft harbors, which are vital to the economies of fishing communities from coast to coast to coast.
Budget 2024: Fairness for Every Generation proposes to provide $463.3 million over three years, starting in 2024–25, for the repair and maintenance of small craft harbors, including those damaged by Hurricane Fiona. This is on top of the Department’s annual budget of $90 million for the Small Craft Harbors program. These investments will support local economic development for generations to come, providing safe and functional harbors for Canadians working in the fisheries, aquaculture, construction, and marine engineering sectors.
The government of Canada is currently funding repairs and/or dredging at 40 harbors across the country to ensure that they are in good working condition to support our hardworking harvesters. Once Budget 2024 is adopted, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) will work to identify the priorities of each region and will announce the breakdown of this investment in due course.
“Small craft harbors the epicenter of our vibrant fishing communities from coast to coast to coast. Canada, the nation with the longest coastline in the world, must invest in resilient harbor infrastructure capable of facing the climate challenges of today and tomorrow. With Budget 2024, we're giving ourselves the means to achieve our ambitions, by equipping our harvesters with modern harbors where their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will carry on our finest maritime traditions,” said the Honorable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
“Small craft harbors are the heart of our community of Cape Breton—Canso, in Nova Scotia—and are real drivers of employment and economic development. This investment will help with repairs and maintenance to keep our harbors in good working condition so that our coastal communities can continue to thrive for years to come,” added Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
