ST-JOSEPH-DE-COLERAINE,
Que -- June 25, 2009--The Honourable Christian
Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government
Services and member
of Parliament for Mégantic-L'Érable,
on behalf of Canada's Environment Minister,
the Honourable Jim Prentice, announced today
up to $779,817 in funding from the EcoAction
Community Funding Program for 23 projects
in the province of Québec. The total
value of these projects is $2,682,625.
"The Government
of Canada is committed to addressing the
environmental priorities of Canadians,"
said Minister Prentice. "We are proud
to support community groups across the country
willing to take concrete action through
on-the-ground environmental projects in
order to preserve and enhance the quality
of Canada's natural heritage."
In the Mégantic
region, Environment Canada has contributed
$82,167 to the Action Belles Rives Grand
Lac Saint-François project, which
aims to renaturalize 300 shoreline properties.
This riparian strip will improve the lake's
health and is effective in preventing blue
algae. To maximize the project's impact,
the participating shoreline residents will
have to be committed to the revegetation
of their properties, to using phosphate-free
dishwashing soap, and not using pesticides
or fertilizers on their lawns.
"The EcoAction
Community Funding Program is a concrete
example of how the Government of Canada
is helping communities and their citizens
enjoy cleaner air, water and land,"
said Minister Paradis. "And we are
supporting projects under this program because
we believe on-the-ground activities like
these can and will make a difference."
Each year, Environment
Canada funds various groups which help to
deliver real results for Canadians and our
environment. Environment Canada's EcoAction
Community Funding Program provides financial
support to locally-based, not-for-profit
organizations to undertake community-level
projects that have positive, measurable
results for the environment. The program
assists these organizations in initiating
projects that result in cleaner air, reductions
in greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner water,
and the conservation of nature at the local
community level.
"Protecting a lake's
water quality includes renaturalization
of its shores, but more importantly, a will
to take action at every level," said
Roger Lamothe, president of L'Association
des riverains du Grand Lac Saint-François.
"Residents, municipalities, farmers
and industries must see what they can to
ensure water quality and should remember
that each action counts."
More information about
the EcoAction Community Funding Program
is available on Environment Canada's website
at the following address: www.ec.gc.ca/ecoaction.
+ More
Government Of Canada
Partners With The Nature Conservancy Of
Canada To Conserve Land In Egmont Bay, PEI
Abram-Village, P.E.I
-- June 25, 2009 -- The Honourable Gail
Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans,
on behalf of the Minister of the Environment,
the Honourable Jim Prentice, today joined
representatives from the Nature Conservancy
of Canada in announcing the future conservation
of 12 hectares of important land in the
Abram-Village area, in Egmont Bay, Prince
Edward Island.The purchase marks another
achievement under the Government of Canada's
$225-million Natural Areas Conservation
Program.
"The Government
of Canada is proud of the results achieved
through the Natural Areas Conservation Program
since its inception two years ago, because
they greatly benefit our country's biodiversity,"
said Minister Prentice. "Prime Minister
Harper announced the creation of a partnership
with non-government conservation organizations
such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Today, as part of this partnership, we celebrate
yet another important conservation project
that will continue to provide a vital home
for species such as the common tern, the
black-bellied plover and the great blue
heron."
The salt marsh at Abram-Village
is home to ecologically rich and critical
habitat for many populations of migrating
waterfowl, shorebirds and seabirds. It is
part of the Haldimand River estuary and
contains important ecosystems such as a
salt pond, a salt marsh and freshwater wetland.
Despite being an island, the Prince Edward
Island coastline has few salt marshes, making
the Abram-Village marsh an even more crucial
area for many of the Island's bird species.
"Today's announcement
is just one more example of how our Government
is taking real action to protect Canada's
natural treasures with the help of partners
like the Nature Conservancy of Canada,"
said Minister Shea. "The lands of Abram-Village
will continue to provide a healthy habitat
where species can thrive."
The Government's 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. As of
March 2009, over 336 properties totalling
more than 103 hectares had been acquired
under this Program, protecting habitat for
over 74 species at risk.
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
