Good News for the Environment

On Tuesday, Feb 27 the 2018 Federal Budget came out and government committed an unprecedented $1.3 billion to create new protected areas over the next 5years. This is huge and is the money Canada needs to meet our targets to protect 17% of land and 10% of oceans by 2020 under the United Nations convention on Biodiversity. Further, the budget also includes an additional $167 million over 5years to protect and recover endangered whales.

This is a wonderful opportunity to take action and press the federal and provincial governments to follow through on the creation of a National Marine Conservation Area Reserve in the Salish Sea. This initiative has been stalled for nearly 20 years because of previous government’s inaction on environmental concerns. The continued loss of habitat has put species like the Southern Resident Killer whales at high risk of extinction. Their numbers are now in the low 70s.  Add to habitat loss the increasing presence of industry in the Salish Sea the number of freighters parked in Trincomali and other areas of the southern Gulf Islands has increased yet again this year. This will only get worse when (if) Kinder Morgan starts shipping from an already congested Port of Vancouver).

Let government know that now is the time to make a National Marine Protected Area in the Salish Sea final. And remember to thank them for their commitment to conservation and the environment. Send your messages to - Hon. Catherine McKenna Minister of Environment and Climate Change  ec.ministre-minister.ec@canada.ca  cc Hon Dominic Leblanc  Min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Right Honourable Prime minister Justin Trudeau pm@pm.gc.ca  and Hon Bill Morneau bill.morneau@parl.gc.ca Provincially send to  Hon George Heymen, minister of Environment george.heymen.MLA@leg.bc.ca  cc to Premier John Horgan premier@gov.bc.ca   Doug Routley doug.routley.MLA@leg.bc.ca  Hon Lana Popham Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries lana.popham.MLA@leg.bc.ca   and Hon Scott Fraser minister of Indigenous  Relations and Reconciliation  scott.fraser.MLA@leg.bc.ca

Thank you.

Suzanne Sarioglu, CPAWS (Canada Parks and Wilderness) ambassador for the NMCAR