TOURELLE, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - March 17, 2011) - Mr. Bernard Généreux, Member of Parliament for Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup, on behalf of the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced that the Government of Canada is investing up to $20.3 million to clean up and repair storm-damaged harbours in Quebec.

"Our Government knows that the importance of small craft harbours goes beyond the dollars earned from fishing," said Mr. Généreux. "We are committed to helping communities repair their harbours and get back on their feet."

Today's investment will fund cleanup and repair projects at over 35 harbours. The Government is working to ensure fishing harbours required for the spring 2011 fisheries will be repaired to a condition that allows safe access for commercial fishers. Urgent work has already begun. Projects requiring major interventions will be carried out over the next two years.

In the fall and winter of 2010, Hurricane Igor in Newfoundland, the Manitoba "Weather Bomb," and the December storms in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, caused damage to fishing harbours in more than 250 communities. Nationally, the Government of Canada is investing $71.6 million to clean up and repair harbours and help communities recover from these devastating storms.

Over the past months, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been working with local communities, harbour authorities and Public Works and Government Services Canada to assess damages. This funding will allow the Department to continue on-site assessments and engineering studies, as well as undertake the necessary cleanup and repair projects.

FOR BROADCAST:

The Government of Canada is providing up to $20.3 million to clean up and repair storm-damaged harbours in Quebec. The funding will help communities, as well as fishing and marine industries recover from last December's storms in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. These storms caused unprecedented damage to fishing harbours relied on by local fishing and marine industries.

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Backgrounder

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO FUND REPAIRS TO STORM-DAMAGED HARBOURS IN QUEBEC

The Government of Canada will invest up to $20.3 million to clean up and repair storm damaged harbours in Quebec. 

Projects that will be funded under the program include:

• Cleanup and minor repair work at L'Anse-à-Brillant, Rimouski-East, Mingan, Cap-aux-Meules, Saint-Anne-des-Monts and Gascons (Ruisseau-Chapados).

• Wharf repairs at Carleton, Tourelle, Ste-Luce, Ruisseau Leblanc and Shigawake.

• Breakwater repairs at Newport-Pointe and Étang du Nord, as well as breakwater reconstruction at Pointe-Basse, Mont-Louis Ouest and Rivière-au-Renard.

• Dredging at Baie Comeau, Baie Trinité, Rivière-au-Tonnerre, Grande-Entrée, Grosse Île, Île d'Entrée, Pointe-aux-Loups, Millerand, Pointe-Basse, Cap-Chat, L'Anse-à-Beaufils, Port-Daniel (East), St-Godefroi, Les Méchins, Bonaventure, Gascons (Anse-à-la-Barbe), Ste-Thérèse-de-Gaspé, Shigawake, Gascons (Ruisseau Chapados, L'Anse-à-Brillant, Rivière-au-Renard (Quai d'Amours), and Tourelle.

Nationally, the Government of Canada is investing $71.6 million in harbours to help communities recover from Hurricane Igor in Newfoundland, the October "Weather Bomb" in Manitoba, and the December storms in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. These storms caused unprecedented damage to fishing harbours relied on by local fishing and marine industries.

Over the past months, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been working with local communities, harbour authorities and Public Works and Government Services Canada to assess damages. This funding will allow the Department to continue on-site assessments and engineering studies, as well as undertake the necessary repair and cleanup projects.