Question Period Note: Small Craft Harbours Efforts to Address Climate Change

What is the government doing to ensure Small Craft Harbours remain operational and safe to fish harvesters in the face of climate change?

• The Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Small Craft Harbours Program is responsible for the maintenance and operation of 973 fishing harbours located throughout Canada.
• Climate change has led to an increased need for repairs and dredging of small craft harbours.
• Moving forward, it is a priority for us to ensure that small craft harbours are operational and safe for users by being more resilient against extreme weather.

• As of February 2023, the Small Craft Harbours (SCH) program was responsible for 973 harbours:
o 675 core fishing harbours; and
o 298 non-core fishing harbours.
• SCH provide key support to the commercial fishing industry. The SCH program keeps the harbours that are critical to the fishing industry open and in good repair.
• In Budget 2021, the Government announced it would provide $300 million over two years to repair, renew, and replace SCH.
• Hurricane Fiona impacted 142 of the 184 SCH that were in its path. Since the passing of Fiona, the Prime Minister announced the $300 million Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund, on October 4, 2022.
• On October 17, 2022, The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Ministers announced that to support immediate recovery efforts, $100 million from the fund had been set aside to repair essential infrastructure at harbours and to retrieve lost fishing gear.
• Approximately 90 per cent of the Canadian fish harvest is landed at harbours operated through the SCH program.
• For SCH, climate change has meant reduced formation of shore ice and more coastal erosion and flooding. Main impacts for SCH network are on harbour infrastructure and sedimentation within harbours.
• For the program, this creates an increased need to address repairs at harbours in a timely manner as well as increased dredging pressures.
• The SCH Program has already begun to adapt its conception standards to this reality, as well as to enhance its regional dredging program.
• The SCH Program is delivered in cooperation with Harbour Authorities, local non -profit organizations representing the interests of local commercial fishers and the broader community.
• Each year, more than 5,000 volunteers assist the program.
• The SCH Program's annual regular budget has been stable at about $90 million (includes salaries and administrative costs) since 2007-08. Since 2008-09, the Government of Canada has provided the SCH Program with more than $1.3 billion in temporary funding.

If pressed
• The design standards and dredging practices used by the Small Craft Harbours Program have evolved over the years, incorporating climate and coastal data as a means to adapt to the changing climate.
• We have found that harbours that have undergone recent repairs withstood Hurricane Fiona better than harbours where recent repairs had not taken place.
• This reinforces the need to ensure that Canada’s fishing harbours are well maintained in order to withstand major weather events moving forward.

If pressed on status of projects in Nunavut
• In 2019, my department, through the Small Craft Harbours program, agreed to build two harbours in Nunavut, one in Arctic Bay and the other in Clyde River. The Clyde River project is progressing as planned.
• In Arctic Bay, I understand that submissions for the project were above budgeted amounts. The Department remains committed to working with our partners on this project and at this time, officials are determining next steps.