Elizabeth May, Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands and Leader of the Green Party of Canada, is pleased to welcome a Parks Canada initiative moving forward with a feasibility study regarding a National Marine Protected Area (NMPA) in the Salish Sea. “I congratulate Environment Minister Peter Kent on moving ahead with the NMPA. The study is the next required phase in implementing conservation and monitoring here, and an important first step in creating new parks and protected areas,” said May.
As the Member of Parliament for the area, May has been working hard towards this initiative and during her conversations with the Minister had been advised by him that this would be moving ahead.
“This is such an important initiative for the protection of biodiversity along our coastline. It will also help us to meet our domestic and international legal commitments toward protecting our coast,”said May. Canada has commitments to protect marine habitat under the Oceans Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act, National Marine Conservation Areas Act and the UN Convention on Biodiversity.
“Parks Canada, the Town of Sidney, the District of North Saanich, non-profits and First Nations have all played important roles in seeing this project toward fruition. I sincerely hope this feasibility study has a positive result. With only 0.1% of Canada’s ocean under protection, a new National Marine Protected Area is urgently needed,” said May.