Manitoba and the Canadian government are exploring the possibility of establishing a new national marine park along the Hudson Bay coast in Manitoba.
During an event in Churchill, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew revealed a provincial investment of $250,000 for a study to assess the viability of a new national marine conservation area. The study, to be carried out in collaboration with Indigenous communities, will mostly be funded by the federal government, as stated by Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand.
National marine conservation areas are protected regions of freshwater or marine coastlines that include the seabed, water column, islands, estuaries, and coastal wetlands. These areas, managed by Parks Canada, aim to showcase the diverse marine ecosystems of the country, similar to how national parks highlight terrestrial ecosystems.
Currently, Canada has five national marine conservation areas, such as Lancaster Sound in Nunavut, the southern peninsula of Haida Gwaii in British Columbia, the St. Lawrence Seaway in Quebec, and areas in the waters of Lake Superior and Lake Huron in Ontario.
The federal government has a goal to establish 10 more marine conservation areas by 2030. Among the potential candidates is an area covering the Hudson Bay and James Bay coastlines in Ontario, adjacent to Manitoba’s coast.
Various environmental organizations, including the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and Oceans North, have urged the government to designate a marine conservation area in Manitoba encompassing parts of the Hudson Bay coastline, which is crucial for preserving a significant portion of the beluga whale habitat.
Advocates emphasize the importance of establishing proper management protocols to safeguard the marine habitat before any industrial expansion takes place in the region. Manitoba Premier Kinew has expressed his belief that economic development and environmental protection can coexist harmoniously.
However, not all are in agreement. Eric Reder from the Wilderness Committee of Canada supports the creation of a marine conservation area and further development at the Port of Churchill but strongly opposes any plans to transport oil and gas through the sub-Arctic waters, vowing to resist such developments.
Parks Canada mentions that most marine conservation areas have designated zones allowing commercial activities like shipping and fishing while restricting boat traffic in ecological preserves. Certain industrial activities, including seabed mining, dumping, bottom trawling, and oil and gas exploration, are prohibited in all new national marine conservation areas.
The Manitoba and federal governments plan to conduct a feasibility study for a new national marine conservation area off the coast of Hudson Bay to protect the marine environment while exploring sustainable economic opportunities.