Caissie Cape, New Brunswick – Small craft harbours are the heart of many coastal communities, bringing people together in work and play, while supporting jobs in the fish and seafood industry for over 45,000 Canadians. As part of Budget 2024, $463.3 million over three years will be invested for the repair and maintenance of small craft harbours, including those damaged by Hurricane Fiona, starting in 2024-25. This is on top of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)’s annual budget of $90 million for these harbours.
As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to growing the economy to help everyone get ahead, today, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, joined by the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced a $70-million investment over three years to continue important work at 18 small craft harbours in New Brunswick.
Ministers Lebouthillier and LeBlanc made the announcement at Cap-des-Caissie, one of the harbours receiving this funding. Over the next three years, this harbour will receive a new wharf, improvements to armourstone protection, basin dredging, and improvements to the containment cell, which hold sediment from dredging.
More than $23.5 million of this overall investment in New Brunswick will also be used to reconstruct and repair piers, breakwater and other critical harbour infrastructure at six harbours that sustained serious damage from Hurricane Fiona
The fishing industry is central to many coastal communities across Canada, and harvesters need small craft harbours to be safe and reliable. With climate change causing more extreme weather events, it is critical to invest in infrastructure that is more resilient, and above all else, safe for harbour users.
These investments support local economic development for generations to come, providing functional harbours for Canadians working in the fisheries, aquaculture, construction, and marine engineering sectors.
“Small craft harbours are the backbone of our vibrant fishing communities from coast to coast to coast, including here in New Brunswick. 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 not only a question of economic development, but also of food security. With Budget 2024, we’re giving ourselves the means to achieve our ambitions, by equipping our harvesters with modern harbours where their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will carry on our finest maritime traditions.” – Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
“Fishing is not just a way to earn a living – it’s a way of life for families and communities all along our coastline. These improvements are vital to ensuring the long-term resiliency of our small craft harbours, particularly in the face of more frequent extreme weather events.” – Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs