This protected area will be similar to that of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence marine park. (Archive photo) Feature being tested Log inCreate my account Speech synthesis, based on artificial intelligence, makes it possible to generate spoken text from 'a written text. Quebec and Ottawa announce their intention to launch consultations with a view to creating a marine park between Anticosti Island and the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve. Within a few months, Innu communities, regional organizations, local businesses and research groups will be consulted with a view to creating this marine park. They will evaluate the environmental, social and economic benefits. Collaboration with the Innu and local stakeholders will be essential, according to the federal Minister of the Environment and of Climate Change, Steven Guilbault.
The Minister of the Environment, Steven Guilbault, was in Port-Menier for this advert. (Archive photo)
All this collaborative work is essential to protect the marine environment and to ensure ecological connectivity between protected areas and existing sites, such as D' National Park ;Anticosti, the Anticosti biodiversity reserve and the Mingan Archipelago national park reserve, he said during the announcement.
Public consultations are also planned over the coming years depending on the progress of the work launched on Friday.
They will be used to determine the precise delimitation of the territory to be preserved and possible conservation measures to protect the marine environment.
Local actors are considering spinoffs that could be beneficial both for the economic development of the region and for endangered species.
Also present on the Anticosti Island, Quebec Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, spoke of a great outlook for the region.
As much as UNESCO offered a beautiful showcase for the region, this park risks doing the same, he testified. These are great opportunities to develop our economy in the region, so it's certainly very, very exciting for us.
Quebec Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, made this announcement in Port-Menier. (File photo)
The prefect of the MRC of Minganie, Meggie Richard, also ensures that the project does not threaten the Minganie-Gaspésie river shuttle project via Anticosti.
Navigation is not prohibited in marine parks, quite the contrary. The crossing could enhance the marine park. It would not be a simple crossing but a cruise which would allow us to discover the territory of the marine park and to do interpretation, she envisions.
The scientific director for the Marine Mammal Research and Education Group, Robert Michaud, also sees a good eye the creation of a marine park west of Anticosti.
This is big news for whales. Endangered whales use this area: blue whales, right whales and beluga whales in winter. The idea of a marine park that focuses on both development and conservation is an extraordinary marriage, he thinks.
The minister responsible for the Côte-Nord region, Kateri Champagne Jourdain, and local elected officials were also on site during the announcement on Friday.
The creation of this protected area will be similar to that of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence marine park. In particular, it will allow Quebec to come close to its target in terms of protecting its territory.
During COP15, last December, Quebec gave itself the objective of protecting 30% of its land and sea territory. Currently, the area protected by the provincial government is 10%, according to Minister Benoit Charette's communications manager.
With the collaboration of Renaud Chicoine-McKenzie
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