SHELBURNE, N.S. -- November
2, 2011 -- Gerald Keddy, Member of Parliament
for South Shore-St. Margaret's and Parliamentary
Secretary to the Minister of International
Trade, for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency and the Atlantic Gateway, on behalf
of Canada's Minister of the Environment,
the Honourable Peter Kent, today
announced the Nature Conservancy of Canada's
successful acquisition of two privately
held properties totalling 148 hectares of
land near Shelburne, Nova Scotia. These
properties were secured in part with funding
from Environment Canada's Natural Areas
Conservation Program.
"Today's announcement
shows our government's commitment to conserving
our environment for the benefit of all Canadians,"
said MP Keddy. "The conservation of
this south western area of Nova Scotia will
continue to provide a healthy habitat where
many species can thrive and survive."
The J&J Cox Limited
properties are located along the Scotian
South Shore within the Bowers Meadows Wilderness
Area and provide habitat for nesting migratory
waterfowl such as the American Black Duck,
as well as for the American Black Bear,
Bobcat and Coyote.
The coastline of this
area consists of freshwater wetlands, beaches
and dunes, salt marshes, bogs and tidal
flats that provide an ideal habitat for
migratory birds such as Canada Geese and
the Green-winged Teal. The Common Eider
and the Double-crested Cormorant also nest
here. The Scotian South Shore also supports
the endangered Piping Plover and the vulnerable
Rose Coreopsis.
"This acquisition
marks another achievement under our government's
Natural Areas Conservation Program,"
said Minister Kent. "We continue to
take real action across Canada to protect
our ecosystems and sensitive species for
present and future generations. Your actions
today will help to protect the abundance
and variety of life that will constitute
our natural heritage tomorrow."
"The Nature Conservancy
of Canada (NCC) is pleased to work collaboratively
with the Government of Canada and the Nova
Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust to
get positive environmental results in this
province," said Craig Smith, NCC Program
Manager for Nova Scotia. "Together,
we are protecting vulnerable species and
habitat while, at the same time, preventing
increased development and timber wood harvesting
in this sensitive ecological area."
The Government of Canada's
$225-million Natural Areas Conservation
Program and ongoing contributions from donors
ensure the protection of natural areas in
Canada. As of March 2011, the Natural Areas
Conservation Program has protected 160,796
hectares, almost three times the size of
Quebec City, which includes habitat for
101 species at risk.
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Government of Canada
and Nature Conservancy of Canada conserve
valuable habitat in Westmorland County,
New Brunswick, and Cumberland County, Nova
Scotia
HALLS HILL, N.B. --
November 9, 2011 -- Canada's Minister of
the Environment, the Honourable Peter Kent,
today announced the Nature Conservancy of
Canada's successful acquisition of three
Chignecto Isthmus properties in New Brunswick
totalling 166 hectares, all located near
the community of Halls Hill, New Brunswick,
as well as 137 hectares of land near Amherst,
Nova Scotia. These properties were secured
in part with funding from Environment Canada's
Natural Areas Conservation Program.
"This acquisition
marks another achievement under our government's
Natural Areas Conservation Program,"
said Minister Kent. "With this investment,
we are taking real action to protect and
conserve our ecosystems and sensitive species
for present and future generations. Your
actions today will help to protect the abundance
and variety of life that will constitute
an integral part of our natural heritage
tomorrow."
These properties are
located in the Northern Appalachian-Acadian
Ecoregion. They all form part of the Chignecto
Isthmus, a narrow land bridge that connects
Nova Scotia to New Brunswick and beyond.
This bridge serves as the only route for
terrestrial wildlife to move in and out
of Nova Scotia. The conservation of these
properties will help ensure the continued
natural movement of plants and wildlife
across this important land bridge.
Species found in this
natural area include the provincially endangered
Mainland Moose and Canada Lynx. Habitat
is also provided for a variety of bird and
mammal species such as the Bobcat and the
Northern Goshawk, and the area is a potential
nesting site for the American Black Duck,
Green-winged Teal and Wood Duck. Two rare
plants were found on the Nova Scotia property:
the Halberd-leaved Tearthumb and Lesser
Wintergreen.
"Through conservation
planning and habitat restoration, future
generations of Canadians will be able to
enjoy this important area," said the
Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries
and Oceans, Minister for the Atlantic Gateway
and Member of Parliament for Fredericton.
"The diversity of the habitat in this
area helps species that call this land home
thrive and survive.''
"All Atlantic Canadians
feel a special connection to our unique
environment and we know that we all play
a part in ensuring that future generations
get to enjoy the splendour and beauty of
the Atlantic playground," said the
Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National
Defence and Member of Parliament for Central-Nova.
"Our government's relationship with
the Nature Conservancy of Canada is one
step towards restoring, conserving and enhancing
our region's natural treasures.''
"The Nature Conservancy
of Canada recognizes the critical importance
of the Chignecto Isthmus for interconnectivity
and the long term viability of wildlife
populations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick,"
said Linda Stephenson, Regional Vice President
for the Atlantic Region of the Nature Conservancy
of Canada. "We are committed to cross-border
work in partnership with Environment Canada
in an effort to ensure the Chignecto Isthmus
remains an active corridor for wildlife
movement."
"The Government
of Canada is committed to the long-term
conservation of biological diversity and
to working with partners, such as the Nature
Conservancy of Canada, to protect Canada's
natural treasures," said Scott Armstrong,
Member of Parliament for Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit
Valley.
The Government of Canada's
$225-million Natural Areas Conservation
Program is an important on-the-ground initiative
that takes real action to preserve Canada's
environment and conserve its precious natural
heritage for present and future generations.
It is through the ongoing contribution from
all donors that the protection of natural
areas in Canada can be ensured. As of March
2011, the Natural Areas Conservation Program
has protected 160,796 hectares of habitat,
which includes habitat for 101 species at
risk.
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Harper Government Announces
Investment in Clean Air
OTTAWA, Ont. -- November
28, 2011 -- Environment Minister Peter Kent
and Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney
today announced an investment of $600.8
million over five years to renew the Clean
Air Regulatory Agenda, (CARA), which has
served as the framework for the Government
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve
air quality since 2006.
"Renewed funding
for the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda emphasizes
our Government's commitment to protecting
the health and environment of Canadians,"
said Minister Kent. "It will help us
identify emerging air quality issues, measure
and monitor the status of existing ones,
and determine solutions that will allow
Canadians to - literally - breathe easier."
"Vulnerable Canadians,
including young children, elderly Canadians,
and people who suffer from chronic heart
and respiratory illnesses will benefit from
our action to improve the quality of the
air we breathe through our Clean Air Regulatory
Agenda," added Minister Blaney.
This funding will be
used by the Government of Canada to:
Align greenhouse gas regulations with the
United States where appropriate;
Finalizeand implement a national air quality
management system;
Strengthen commitments to reduce transboundary
air pollution under the Canada-U.S. Air
Quality Agreement;
Improve indoor air quality; and,
Nation-wide implementation of the Air Quality
Health Index to help Canadians make informed
decisions to protect their health.
"The quality of
the air we breathe is directly linked to
our health and well-being," added Canada's
Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. "Our
Government will work to improve air quality
and reduce exposure of harmful air pollutants
to Canadians."
This renewed funding
will allow standards to be set that will
define what clean air means, regulate good
emissions performance by industry and bring
on a comprehensive national approach to
air emissions reduction. Taking concrete
action to reduce emissions from major sectors
of the economy is a key part of the Government's
work to improve the environment and deliver
real results for all Canadians.
