The Trudeau government is promising an infusion of much-needed cash for the Canadian Coast Guard and federal Fisheries Department, both of which have been struggling with major funding shortfalls for years.
The promised new money totals more than $1.2 billion over the next six years and is included in the Liberals’ fiscal update, which was released to much fanfare on Tuesday.
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The money will be used to keep the coast guard’s aging ships, navigational aids and communications equipment in working order, as well as to train new staff and provide icebreaking services, among other things.
Internal documents obtained by The Canadian Press show the funding is badly overdue and Fisheries Minister Dominic Leblanc was warned last year that coast guard and Fisheries officials were struggling to make ends meet.
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One impact was that the coast guard didn’t have enough money to maintain its ships, many of which are more than 30 years old and perform important roles such as search and rescue and icebreaking.
University of Calgary professor Rob Huebert, who worked closely with the coast guard, says he welcomes the government’s promised new investments, but that it represents only a fraction of what is really needed.
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