Ottawa this week unveiled its new Oceans Protection Plan, to which is welcomed, but long overdue, according to Premier Christy Clark. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled the $1.5 billion plan Monday with the stated goals of: • creating a world-leading marine safety system that improves responsible shipping and protects Canada’s waters, including new preventive and response measures; • restoring and protecting the marine ecosystems and habitats, using new tools and research, as well as taking measures to address abandoned boats and wrecks; • strengthening partnerships and launching co-management practices with Indigenous communities, including building local emergency response capacity; and, • investing in oil spill cleanup research and methods to ensure that decisions taken in emergencies are evidence based. “Canada’s economy, environment and history are inextricably linked to our coastal regions,” said Trudeau in a press release. “The $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan unveiled today will make Canada a world-leader in marine safety and takes a powerful step toward co-management of our coasts with Indigenous and coastal communities, together making sure they remain healthy, clean, and safe for generations to come.” The Oceans Protection Plan was developed based on work done over the past two years between Indigenous and coastal communities and various government programs, and will be implemented next year. The Oceans Protection Plan was developed based on work done over the past two years between Indigenous and coastal communities and various government programs, and will be implemented next year. Clark said British Columbians have been waiting for such a plan for a long time.  “As the prime minister said today, this announcement is long overdue,” she said in a statement released after the announcement. “Federal governments have for decades fallen short of providing adequate spills response and prevention on our coast. “The coast and the ocean are lifelines for us in British Columbia. They are our links to the world. And for so many British Columbians, they are the source of their jobs, their means of providing for their families and for their future. “That’s why we have worked hard to define what a world-leading system looks like. We have identified the gaps and held discussions for the last few months with the federal government. She said the federal response addresses those gaps.

Oceans plan long overdue: Clark