OTTAWA -- Elizabeth
May, Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands and Leader of the Green
Party of Canada, is pleased to welcome a Parks Canada initiative moving forward
with a feasibility study regarding a National Marine Protected Area (NMPA) in
the Salish Sea. “I congratulate
Environment Minister Peter Kent on moving ahead with the NMPA. The study is the next required phase in
implementing conservation and monitoring here, and an important first step in
creating new parks and protected areas,” said May.
As the
Member of Parliament for the area, May has been working hard towards this
initiative and during her conversations with the Minister had been advised by
him that this would be moving ahead.
“This is
such an important initiative for the protection of biodiversity along our
coastline. It will also help us to meet
our domestic and international legal commitments toward protecting our coast,”
said May. Canada has commitments to
protect marine habitat under the Oceans Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act,
National Marine Conservation Areas Act and the UN Convention on Biodiversity.
“Parks
Canada, the Town of Sidney, the District of North Saanich, non-profits and
First Nations have all played important roles in seeing this project toward
fruition. I sincerely hope this
feasibility study has a positive result.
With only 0.1% of Canada’s ocean under protection, a new National Marine
Protected Area is urgently needed,” said May.
Contact Information:
Rebecca Harrison
media@greenparty.ca
c: 905.999.5479