Federal Government to Spend $110 million to Clean Up and Enhance the St. Lawrence River

Montreal, June 3, 1988 – Federal Environment Minister Tom McMillan announced today that the Canadian government will spend $110 million over the next five years to protect, conserve and restore the St. Lawrence River. "This constitutes the federal government’s largest ever environmental initiative in Quebec," said the Minister.

Mr. McMillan and his provincial counterpart, Clifford Lincoln, also signed a co-operation agreement making their governments full partners in the extensive St. Lawrence clean-up program. The agreement commits the governments of Canada and Quebec to establishing mechanisms to harmonize and co-ordinate clean-up and enhancement activities.

In signing the agreement, the two ministers and Yvon Picotte, Quebec Minister of Recreation, Fish and Game, also consented to negotiate the terms of an accord to create a marine park at the confluence of the Saguenay and the St. Lawrence.

According to Mr. McMillan, an Environment Canada feasibility study to be released in a few weeks shows that it is technically feasible to establish a marine park on the Saguenay. The park will help to protect the population of St. Lawrence belugas, which have been designated a threatened species. The Minister added that public consultations would take place before the signing of the marine park agreement.

Robert R. de Cotret, Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion and Minister of State for Science and Technology, whose department is contributing $20 million of the total $110 million, said, "This contribution is intended to develop and perfect new technologies in line with environmental objectives. In concrete terms, this means focusing on securing the financial involvement of the private sector in order to generate industrial and environmental spin-offs."

Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Tom Siddon, who said he was pleased to be associated with the St. Lawrence action plan, restated his intention to announce a beluga survival action plan by the end of June. The plan was being developed by his department in conjunction with Environment Canada.

To restore the river to its former state, the federal government will carry out a dynamic four-part action plan, with the most important component being to protect water and habitat quality against toxic substances. Fourteen million dollars will be spent to reduce toxic substances and monitor pollution sources.

The federal government will allocate $20 million to the conservation component, including creation of the marine park, to ensure protection for threatened species and sensitive habitats.

Thirdly, in an effort to clean up its own back yard, the federal government plans to spend $21 million to restore contaminated habitats, including national harbours and the Lachine Canal in Montreal. This component will also target improvement of dredging practices and enhancement of wetlands.

The lion’s share of the budget earmarked by the federal government for the St. Lawrence River, $55 million, will go to technological development. The most significant initiative under this component will be the creation of the St. Lawrence Centre in Montreal, which will become an important part of Environment Canada’s Quebec network.

The Centre will be responsible for activities under the components of the federal action plan, including development and application of environmental technology. The Centre will be working together with the province, industry, universities and the private sector.

According to Mr. McMillan, the federal government’s intent in setting up the St. Lawrence Centre was not to invest enormous sums to build infrastructure and facilities, but rather to use all available existing resources, leaving as much of the budget as possible for actual clean-up activities.

To meet the environmental objectives of this vast program, the federal government plans to call on stakeholders to share their skills and work closely together. In this regard, Messrs. McMillan and Lincoln were proud of the agreement they had signed. They were also confident in being able to reconcile federal and provincial objectives for the St. Lawrence. They planned to present technical details of their respective activities to the Quebec public by autumn.

Minister McMillan concluded by stressing that his government, like the government of Quebec, recognizes the inestimable value of the St. Lawrence River, referring to it as "living heritage". Accordingly, the federal government intends to employ every possible means to protect, conserve and restore the river which has always been a source of pride to the people of Canada.

Information:

Jean-Pierre Gauthier
Environment Canada
(418) 648-4077

Clément Dugas
Environment Canada
(418) 648-7204

Information Sheet:
Saving the St. Lawrence

(Aussi disponible en français)