Ducks Unlimited Canada Funding Announcement

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)

Oshawa, Ontario
November 24, 2009

Check against delivery

Welcome ladies and gentlemen, friends and honoured guests.

It is wonderful to be back here in Oshawa to share this news with you.

I would also like to thank our friends at Ducks Unlimited Canada for hosting us today. 

Right across this province, we can see the results of the hard work Ducks Unlimited does on our behalf. Through this organization’s efforts, we are able to breathe better air and drink cleaner water.

For more than 70 years, Ducks Unlimited has been preserving our province’s vital wetlands. Right across Ontario, Ducks Unlimited looks after more than 2,000 wetland projects on nearly one million acres of land.

This work is critical for our environment and our quality of life.

Wetlands are among the most productive and valuable ecosystems in our natural environment. These natural areas absorb massive amounts of carbon, prevent flooding, reduce soil erosion and protect ground water sources. They are also home to a number of species of animals and insects at risk.

Through the good work of Ducks Unlimited, we have managed to preserve a number of our vital wetlands throughout this province.

The wetlands are designed to have a productive life of 25 to 30 years, if they are periodically renewed.

And that brings me to why we are all here today.

I am proud to announce that our government is investing up to $3 million to help Ducks Unlimited refurbish and restore 72 wetland areas across southern Ontario.

This funding represents not only an investment in our environment, but also in our quality of life for years to come. Ladies and gentlemen, through our investment, and funds raised through the Ducks Unlimited Wetlands for Tomorrow campaign, we are ensuring that 20 years worth of wetland restoration work will be done now.

Over the next year, Ducks Unlimited will replace or repair dykes, water control structures, beaver fences and other wetland safety features. This will ensure these natural areas will provide benefits for communities, residents and wildlife for decades to come.

Our government’s contribution to this project will be made out of the Southern Ontario Development Program. This $100-million program’s goal is to provide new opportunities and create jobs for the people, businesses and communities in southern Ontario.

We are moving quickly to get funding into communities where it’s needed most. We want make it clear that our government understands the unique pressures facing southern Ontario in the midst of the global economic slowdown.

That is why we created the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario as part our Economic Action Plan and allocated $1 billion to the organization.

It’s just one way our government’s stimulus package is building on Canada’s strengths and establishing a path for our future economic success.

The good news is the plan is working. We have seen signs recently that our action plan is having a real impact. For example, since June, 26,500 new jobs have been created in Ontario. 

But we recognize that we still need to do more and that we must be mindful that our efforts to stimulate the economy need to be sustainable. For southern Ontario to succeed, we must not lose sight of sustainable development and our quality of life.

We need to do this because we know that attracting investment and encouraging growth is not simply a matter of dollars and cents. People want to live where they can work, play and raise a family in a clean, healthy environment.

We understand the importance of sustainable development and the role the environment plays in our quality of life. 

I look forward to working with Ducks Unlimited as we embark on this crucial project to safeguard southern Ontario’s environment and economy for many years to come.

Thank you. Merci.