Day: November 5, 2020

Canada’s Arctic waters are imperative to the livelihoods, culture, and identity of Nunavut Inuit. The Government of Canada is working in partnership to protect these ecosystems for future generations.

In September 2017, the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program was launched as part of the national Oceans Protection Plan. The Program provides $50.8 million over five years to collect biological and oceanographic data to characterize the current state of six key coastal ecosystems in Canada. The coastal ecosystems were chosen for their high or potential for increasing vessel traffic and coastal development. These selected ecosystems are the Port of Vancouver, BC; Port of Prince Rupert, BC; St. Lawrence Estuary, QC; Port of Saint John, NB; Placentia Bay, NL; and Iqaluit, NU.

Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced a $1.43 million contribution for the creation of an Indigenous protected and conserved area for Arqvilliit in partnership with the community of Inukjuak. Arqvilliit, also called the Ottawa Islands, is a chain of 24 islands—spanning 24,000 hectares—in the north-eastern part of Tasiujarruaq ilua (Hudson Bay).

Minister Ng and Advisor Dawood underscored the strong people-to-people ties between both countries and the growth of the Canada-Pakistan trade relationship in recent years, which exceeded $1 billion last year – creating opportunities for businesses and good jobs for people in both countries.