MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Regional Government of Canada – in French 2
Press release
St. Peter’s, Nova Scotia, October 10, 2023 — Today, Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria, and Chief Wilbert Marshall of Potlotek First Nation announced a federal investment of $1 million to implement erosion controls in Eskasoni and Potlotek First Nations.
Through the Natural Infrastructure Fund, the Government of Canada is supporting the Union of Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia to plan, design and implement erosion control measures along the Bras d’Or Lake. Improved erosion protection will include the installation of living dikes and salt marshes, as well as the implementation of sediment control measures. The project will increase community resilience to extreme weather events.
By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country’s economy, increasing the resilience of our communities, and improving the lives of Canadians.
Quotes
“We are working together to protect Miꞌkmaw communities from the impacts of erosion and extreme weather. Residents of Eskasoni and Potlotek are at the forefront of building a more climate-resilient future. Today’s investment helps these Bras d’Or Lake communities manage and adapt to climate change risks for years to come.”
Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
“When faced with the impacts of climate change, natural infrastructure can often provide the best solutions. The Government of Canada is working with Eskasoni and Potlotek to put these solutions into practice and protect the community and future generations from the impacts of coastal erosion.”
Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
“This funding is a significant milestone not only for the community of Potlotek, but for all of Mi’kma’ki. The sacred island of Chapel Island, its governance practices, sacred ceremonies and social gatherings are older than Canada. The Mi’kmaq and their way of life have been present on their ancestral lands since time immemorial. This erosion protection project finally builds on the work that has been done previously through environmental studies and moves into the implementation phase. This is an important project for Potlotek, and we look forward to restoring our sacred shoreline with the funding we have received.”
Chief Wilbert Marshall, Potlotek First Nation
“Eskasoni is one of the two coastal communities hardest hit by severe storms, high winds and erosion. This erosion protection project will help preserve our lands and, more importantly, extend the life of our community’s shorelines. The concept of natural infrastructure is consistent with the Mi’kmaq way of life, as it is sustainable and gives back to the land so that our ancestral lands continue to provide for us for generations to come. This is a very exciting project for us and we look forward to seeing the final result.”
Chief Leroy Denny, Eskasoni First Nation
Quick Facts
The Government of Canada is investing $1 million in this project through the Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF).
The Natural Infrastructure Fund supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to increase resilience to climate change, reduce carbon emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and promote Canadians’ access to nature.
Examples of natural infrastructure include urban forests, street trees, wetlands, living seawalls, biological seawalls, and naturalized coastal restoration.
Hybrid infrastructure incorporates elements of artificial grey infrastructure to enhance or support natural infrastructure and/or the use of ecosystem processes. Examples of hybrid infrastructure include green roofs and walls, and naturalized storm basins.
A minimum of 10% of the overall program envelope will be allocated to projects led by Indigenous people.
The funding announced today is part of the work the Government of Canada is doing under the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create good-paying middle-class jobs, strengthen local economies and build inclusive communities.
Federal funding is conditional on meeting its obligations regarding consultation with Indigenous peoples and environmental assessment.
Related links
Contact persons
For further information (media only), please contact:
Kevin Collins Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesKevin.Collins@infc.gc.ca
Media Relations Infrastructure Canada613-960-9251Toll free: 1-877-250-7154Email: media-medias@infc.gc.caFollow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram And LinkedInWebsite: Infrastructure Canada
Wasuek Googoo Infrastructure Co-Manager, Capacity DevelopmentMi’kmaq Union of Nova Scotia902-919-1141agoogoo@unsm.org
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.