Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces Oceans Protection Plan 2.0

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on Bowen Island Tuesday morning to make an announcement about the federal government’s Oceans Protection Plan.

Trudeau announced the next stage of the plan, calling it 2.0 with another two billion dollars in funding allocated for the project.

“We’ll take action to combat emerging threats to our marine safety and ecosystems and we’ll strengthen partnerships with Indigenous peoples who must be our partners and in many ways, our leaders, as we move forward on protecting these extraordinary ecosystems,” Trudeau said.

The plan also includes the Salish Sea Strategy, which Trudeau said will continue to protect and restore the ecosystem in a way that respects Indigenous and treaty rights and traditional knowledge.

“It will deploy technologies that reduce the impact of underwater noise so that marine mammals can safely communicate with each other and safely navigate these waters,” Trudeau added.

0:58 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau makes several stops in Metro Vancouver Tuesday

Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, said this expansion means they can make marine shipping safer, protect marine species and ecosystems and “provide greater opportunities for Indigenous Peoples to direct how their traditional coasts and waterways are protected.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Trudeau will be in North Vancouver where he will visit a children’s day camp.

Trudeau was in the Central Okanagan for a quick visit on Monday, making several stops along the tour. This was also the prime minister’s first time in Kelowna, B.C., since 2017.

Trudeau kept things quiet leading up to his Okanagan tour and did not make himself available to speak with local media.

1:22 Prime Minister Trudeau visits Summerland orchard during Okanagan tour

The first stop on his agenda was a visit to a children’s day camp in Lake Country, where he spent some time interacting with the kids, making crafts with them and playing outside.

The second stop of the day for Canada’s leader was in Kelowna at the BC Tree Fruits packing house, where he was given a tour of the packing and storage facility to see the ins and outs of the operation.

Trudeau also took time to pose for a few selfies with the employees at the packing house, and before he left, he made sure to stop inside the BC Tree Fruits store to purchase some ripe B.C. cherries.

— with files from Jayden Wasney and Jasmine King

More to come.