Environment & Natural Resources

1. Canadian National Railway Company fined $2.5 million for Fisheries Act offence

   On September 15, 2021, Canadian National Railway Company (CN Rail) pleaded guilty in Prince Rupert Provincial Court to a charge of violating subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act in relation to the deposit of pesticides in or around waters frequented by fish. The company was fined $2.5 million, which will be directed to the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund.

2. Media technical briefing on Hurricane Larry

   Media representatives are advised that the Canadian Hurricane Centre will provide an update on Hurricane Larry on Friday, September 10, 2021. Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, Bob Robichaud, will discuss the latest information about the storm.

3. Three Newfoundland and Labrador hunters sentenced for offences under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994

   On September 2, 2021, Wilson Arthur Brown, Wilson Pleman Frank Brown, and Carl Arthur Brown, of Summerford, Newfoundland and Labrador, were sentenced to pay a total of $32,000 in penalties for having each committed two offences under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994.

4. World Circular Economy Forum 2021

   From September 13 to 15, 2021, Canada and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra will virtually co-host the landmark circular economy event of the year, the World Circular Economy Forum 2021 (WCEF2021). Media representatives are invited to register to learn more about the economic, social, and environmental benefits of the circular economy and to have access to world leaders, experts, and entrepreneurs as they share insights on the circular economy, success stories, challenges, and a proposed path forward.

5. Ontario-based trading company fined $60,000 for illegally importing fins of threatened shark species

   On August 31, 2021, S L Dried Seafood Co. Ltd. and Wang Cheung, store manager, were sentenced to pay fines of $60,000 and $5,000 respectively after pleading guilty in the Newmarket Ontario Court of Justice to unlawfully importing protected shark species without a permit from the country of export.

6. New EV Chargers Coming to Ontario

   Today, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $99,900 investment to ERTH Corp to install 21 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across the province to put Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future. ERTH Corp is also contributing $236,946 toward this initiative, bringing the total project cost to $336,846.

7. Canada Invests in Indigenous-led Forest Economy in Quebec

   Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $605,000 investment in two biomass projects in the Lac-Saint-Jean region.

8. Canada invests $796 million to collaborate with provinces, territories, and other partners to protect nature across the country

   Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced as part of the Enhanced Nature Legacy up to $796 million in funding to support provinces and territories and other partners’ actions to recover species at risk and protect and conserve lands and freshwater.

9. Canada Invests in Indigenous-led Forest Economy in Quebec

   Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, today announced $277,129 to the Lac Simon First Nation to support the expansion of non-timber forest production activities in the region. The investment will help the community increase mushroom production and harvesting while balancing environmental protection with other forest activities.

10. Canada and France renew Partnership on climate and environment

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and his French counterpart, Barbara Pompili, Minister of the Ecological Transition, renewed the successful 2018 Canada–France Partnership on Climate and Environment that will guide the next stage of joint climate action.

11. Joint Committee on Climate Action Annual Report highlights First Nations leadership in addressing climate change

    Today, the First Nations-Canada Joint Committee on Climate Action (JCCA) released its third annual report to the Prime Minister and the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. The JCCA’s annual report documents the positive steps taken towards reconciliation and forging a stronger climate partnership in 2020. This year’s report highlights the Joint Committee’s work in five key areas:

12. Government of Canada announces $340 million to support Indigenous-led conservation

    Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced an investment of up to $340 million in new funding over five years to support Indigenous leadership in nature conservation, as part of Canada’s historic Budget 2021 investment of $2.3 billion over five years in nature conservation.

13. Backgrounder – Supporting a Green Shift in the Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors

    The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced today the creation of two ministerial consulting committees to help supporting a green shift in the arts, culture, heritage and sport sectors...

14. Canada Invests in Improving Energy Efficiency at Quebec Paper Plant

    Earlier today, parliamentary Secretary Marc G. Serré, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $40,000 investment to Kruger Products, Canada’s leading tissue products manufacturer, to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at its Crabtree plant in Quebec.

15. PS Serré to Announce Investments in the Forest Sector in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean

    Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will announce investments in the forest sector in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.

16. Planting Trees in Greater Sudbury as Part of Two Billion Trees

    Today, Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced $50,000 to the City of Greater Sudbury in support of the Government of Canada’s plan to plant two billion trees over 10 years.

17. Building Capacity to Accelerate Canada’s Low-Carbon Future — Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program 

    Today, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, launched a new stream under SREPs that will focus on building capacity to enable community-driven solutions to succeed in the low-carbon economy.

18. Planting Trees in Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan as Part of Two Billion Trees

    Today, Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced $3,353,700 to Groupe Ramo Inc. in support of the Government of Canada’s plan to plant two billion trees over 10 years. This project will see 1,600,000 trees planted at Groupe Ramo’s facility in the Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan region.

19. Parliamentary Secretary Terry Duguid to make an important announcement regarding the protection of the Lake Winnipeg Basin

    Media representatives are advised that the Parliamentary Secretary, Terry Duguid, on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, will make an announcement related to the protection of the Lake Winnipeg Basin. He will be joined by the Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development, the Honourable Ralph Eichler.

20. Government of Canada releases Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change in Canada: an update on the National Adaptation Strategy

    Today, as work continues towards the development of the strategy, the Government of Canada released a report entitled Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change in Canada: an update on the National Adaptation Strategy. The report builds on a first round of conversations with provinces and territories, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, Indigenous representatives, and youth organizations to identify the strategy’s objectives and principles.

21. Canada Invests in Protecting Caribou in Quebec

    Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, today announced $218,240 to the Abitibiwinni First Nation to support woodland caribou recovery in the region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

22. Government of Canada launches new $20 million fund to make fishing gear safer for whales 

    Entanglements in fishing gear can pose serious harm to whales and other marine mammals. They can impact the animal’s ability to swim, eat, and reproduce, and they can be fatal. That is why the Government of Canada is working to prevent these entanglement risks from occurring, including by requiring all non-tended, fixed-gear fisheries in Atlantic Canada and Quebec to use whalesafe gear by the beginning of the 2023 fishing seasons.

23. PS Serré to Make a Tree-Planting Announcement

    Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will make a tree-planting announcement.

24. PS Serré to Make an Energy Efficiency Announcement 

    Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will make an announcement to support energy efficiency in the industrial sector.

25. Government of Canada announces action plan to protect firefighters from harmful chemicals

    Today, the Minister of Health, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced a comprehensive action plan to protect firefighters from harmful chemicals released during household fires.

26. Helping to protect firefighters from harmful chemicals

    The Government of Canada has announced a comprehensive action plan to protect firefighters from harmful chemicals released during household fires.

27. Canada Invests in Indigenous-led Forest Economy in Quebec

    Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $240,000 investment to the Kebaowek First Nation to support the expansion of forest sector transportation activities. The investment helped the community secure an additional transportation truck to support training activities, which allowed the community to expand its workforce.

28. Canada Invests in Eco-Friendly Alternative to Plastic Microbeads

    Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, and the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development (CED) for Quebec, today announced a total of $4.25 million toward Anomera Inc. to support the construction of a demonstration-scale facility that will produce 250 tonnes per year of carboxylated-cellulose nanocrystals (cCNC) and bring its cosmetics ingredients and industrial products to market.

29. Government of Canada announces support for Ocean Networks Canada

    The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Kevin Hall, President of the University of Victoria and Kate Moran, President of Ocean Networks Canada will make an announcement on support for Ocean Networks Canada.

30. Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announces actions to protect firefighters

    Media representatives are advised that the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will make an announcement on protecting firefighters from harmful chemicals. He will be joined by Mr. Terry Beech, Member of Parliament for Burnaby North-Seymour.

31. PS Serré to Announce Investments in Caribou Habitat Conservation

    Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will announce investments in caribou habitat conservation in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.

32. The City of Mount Pearl reduces emissions with support from the Government of Canada

    Today, the Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced up to $116,200 from the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund to support the City of Mount Pearl Energy-Efficiency and Fuel Switching Project. This funding is part of the $4.8 million to support 13 climate action projects in Newfoundland and Labrador that was announced by Canada and the province on May 19, 2021. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is also contributing $96,800 in support of this initiative. This investment comes from the province’s Climate Change Challenge Fund.

33. Planting Trees in Whitby as Part of Two Billion Trees

    Today, Ryan Turnbull, Member of Parliament for Whitby, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced $ 2,040,946 to Canadian Trees for Life in support of the Government of Canada’s plan to plant two billion trees over 10 years. This funding will support 30 Trees for Life projects in various locations, which will see a combined total of nearly 275,000 trees planted.

34. Planting Trees in Peterborough as Part of Two Billion Trees

    Today, Maryam Monsef, Minister of Rural Economic Development and for Women and Gender Equality and Member of Parliament for Peterborough–Kawartha, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced $232,325 to ALUS Canada in support of the Government of Canada’s plan to plant two billion trees over 10 years.

35. PS Serré to Announce Forest Sector Investment in Abitibi-Témiscamingue

    Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will announce investments in the forest sector in Abitibi- Témiscamingue.

36. Minister Monsef to Make a Tree-Planting Announcement

    The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of Rural Economic Development and for Women and Gender Equality and Member of Parliament for Peterborough–Kawartha, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will make a tree-planting announcement.

37. PS Serré to Announce Forest Sector Investment in Abitibi-Témiscamingue

    Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will announce investments in the forest sector in Abitibi- Témiscamingue.

38. The City of Mount Pearl reduces emissions with support from the Government of Canada

    Media representatives are advised that the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will make an announcement to support the City of Mount Pearl Energy-Efficiency and Fuel Switching Project.

39. MP Turnbull to Make a Tree-Planting Announcement

    Ryan Turnbull, Member of Parliament for Whitby, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will make a tree-planting announcement.

40. Canada Invests in Net-Zero Retrofits for Affordable Housing in Ottawa

    The Honourable Mona Fortier, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity, Associate Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Ottawa—Vanier, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $547,500 investment to the Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) to retrofit affordable housing.

41. New EV Chargers Coming to Waterloo Region

    Today, the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced a $230,000 investment for Waterloo Region municipalities to install 46 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across the region, putting Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future.

42. Government of Canada working with the city of Windsor to explore the potential of a national urban park in Windsor

    Government of Canada working with the city of Windsor to explore the potential of a national urban park in Windsor.

43. Canada Opens Call for Studies on Carbon Capture Technologies

    The Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced a new call for expression of interest to support CCUS across the country. Funded under the Energy Innovation Program (EIP), this call will support Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies that have the potential to reduce the impact of carbon emissions.

44. Minister Jonathan Wilkinson Issues Statement on the 54th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-54)

    I would like to thank the delegation that took part in the 54th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change from July 26 to August 6. The policy analysts, scientists, and senior executives from Environment and Climate Change, Fisheries and Oceans and Natural Resources Canada, as well as representatives of three national Indigenous organizations, represented our country at IPCC-54, where 195 nations participated.

45. Planting Trees in Toronto as Part of Two Billion Trees

    Today, Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, announced $196,478 to the City of Toronto in support of the Government of Canada’s plan to plant two billion trees over 10 years.

46. Minister Fortier to Make an Energy Efficiency Announcement 

    The Honourable Mona Fortier, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, alongside the Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) Corporation, will make an announcement to support energy efficiency for affordable housing.

47. The Government of Canada invests $25 million in Acadie-Bathurst fishing harbours 

    Small craft harbours are the heart of Canada’s coastal communities. They are hubs of recreation and industry, and are essential to Canada’s growing blue economy. Canada’s seafood sector employs over 45,000 Canadians and generates over seven billion dollars per year. With approximately 90% of that product landed at small craft harbours, this infrastructure is vital to Canada’s local and national economies. Through Budget 2021, the federal government is investing $300 million to repair, upgrade and build new small craft harbours across Canada.

48. Minister Chagger to Make an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Announcement 

    The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will make an announcement to support electric vehicle infrastructure.

49. The Government of Canada invests in fishing harbours across the Prairies

    Coastal communities across Canada are supported by small craft harbours that provide the commercial fishing industry with safe access to waterways. With approximately 45,000 Canadians employed in the fishing sector, the Government of Canada is making investments to renew its network of small craft harbours and is working with municipalities and other stakeholders to ensure this important infrastructure can enhance local communities.

50. PS Oliphant to Make a Tree-Planting Announcement

    Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Don Valley West, on behalf of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources, will make a tree-planting announcement.