Feds invests $6M in conservation projects at national parks in Ont. to fight climate change

KINGSTON, Ont. — On Aug. 7, the Canadian federal government announced federal investments totaling nearly $6 million for projects aimed at the restoration of ecosystems and the recovery of species at risk in Fathom Five National Marine Park and Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bay Islands and Thousand Islands national parks.

“As we continue to safely restart our economy, our government will continue making investments that will help to support local jobs, protect our nature and fight climate change,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, minister of environment and climate change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, in a prepared statement. “I am pleased that Parks Canada and Indigenous communities are partnering to support on-the-ground conservation activities. This is an excellent example of how Canada will rebuild better following the pandemic.”

Working with First Nations and Métis communities, local organizations and community volunteers, Parks Canada is building on the removal of invasive species to support habitat restoration, the protection of over 750 turtle eggs, and the installation of eight eco-passages, which are under-road passageways that help species safely cross roadways, according to a statement. The investment will expand on these ongoing efforts to protect reptiles and amphibians in Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bay Islands and Thousand Islands national parks.

In Fathom Five National Marine Park, Parks Canada and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, along with academic institutions and other levels of government, are working together to identify causes of recent Lake Whitefish decline. This important fish species is an indicator of the overall health of the Lake Huron ecosystem.