Canada banning oil, gas and mining work from marine protected areas
The change applies only to marine protected areas and brings Canada up to international standards
OTTAWA – Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson today is announcing a total ban on all oil and gas activities, as well as mining, dumping of waste and bottom trawling, from all of Canada’s marine protected areas.
The change brings Canada up to international standards recommended by the Union for Conservation of Nature.
The bans apply only to marine protected areas, which are specific areas within bodies of water that are granted protected status by federal, provincial or territorial governments.
Until now, activities like oil and gas were only banned in them on a case-by-case basis.
Marine refuges, which are more numerous areas covered by fisheries closures, will still allow oil and gas operations.
The ones that do will not be counted towards Canada’s commitment to protect 10 per cent of the country’s marine and coastal areas by 2020.
