This year, the Government of Canada will invest 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.
Small craft harbours play an important role in providing coastal communities and the commercial fishing industry with safe and accessible facilities. More than 76,000 Canadians employed in the commercial fishing industry.
Small Craft Harbours Program 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.
The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard commented:
“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.”
For more information on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Small Craft Harbours Program, visit:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sch-ppb/home-accueil-eng.htm
source: Government of Canada