Feds dedicate $27M to protect endangered species
Prince Edward Island’s landscape took a beating from post-tropical storm Fiona in September. Now, new funding has been dedicated to protect habitats and species on the island and across the country.
On Friday, the federal government announced $27 million would be set aside for conservation projects. The funding is slated to benefit 67 projects across the country in 11 priority places for species at risk.
"Prince Edward Island has diverse wildlife and a vibrant natural landscape,” Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald said in a Friday news release. “It is vital that we protect and preserve it for generations to come.”
Recognizing P.E.I.’s forested landscape as an area high in biodiversity and a habitat for species at risk, three projects received a total of up to $2.75 million in funding over four years.
That includes the Island Nature Trust, a not-for-profit P.E.I. land protection group, that will receive $600,000 to protect forested wetlands and coastal forests, an important habitat for at-risk species.
The area is home to at least 13 species at risk, including the little brown and northern myotis bat species and the Canada warbler.
"As we face the twin crises of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change, efforts to conserve and restore nature are incredibly important,” said Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault in the release. “The Priority Places for Species at Risk funding helps enable these efforts in communities across the country."
The P.E.I. Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action and the Abegweit Conservation Society is also set to receive continued support for existing projects in the P.E.I. Forested Landscape Priority Place.
“With the effects of biodiversity loss and climate change now plain for all to see, we are supportive of the Government of Canada's meaningful stance on protecting biodiversity and habitat for species at risk,” said Bianca McGregor, executive director for Island Nature Trust, in the release.
“On P.E.I., this funding will mean that Island Nature Trust can provide resources and support to private landowners looking to protect their own land, while enhancing the Trust's potential to acquire and protect ecologically sensitive land for the benefit of both Islanders and wildlife. "
Other priority places in Atlantic Canada include Kespukwitk in Southwest Nova Scotia, Wolastoq and the Saint John River, and the St. Lawrence Lowlands.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.