Canada's New Government Invests Nearly $340,000 to Study Wetland Protection in Manitoba

June 15, 2007

STONEWALL, Manitoba – James Bezan, Member of Parliament for Selkirk–Interlake, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today announced nearly $340,000 in funding for a pilot project by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) that will study the ecological and economic benefits of wetlands.

"Canada's New Government is proud to work with Ducks Unlimited Canada on this watershed pilot project," Mr. Bezan said. "A better understanding of the benefits of restoring and retaining wetlands is important for farmers and will help protect the environment for all Canadians."

DUC will lead the project on the South Tobacco Creek watershed near Miami, Manitoba to better understand the ecological and economic benefits provided by wetlands maintained by producers in the prairie landscape. The project will identify and share beneficial management practices to ensure the effective preservation of wetlands. It is one of the Ecological Goods and Services (EG&S) pilot projects being carried out across the country that will assist in measuring the feasibility of various approaches to environmental stewardship.

"Wetlands provide some of the richest and most diverse habitat in Canada. They also act as water filters by removing many contaminants from surface runoff, and serve as sources of domestic, livestock and agricultural water," said Henry Murkin, DUC's director of conservation programs. "For wetland policy development to make any real progress, it is important for all stakeholders to understand all the costs and benefits of wetlands in the agricultural landscape of Canada."

Funding for the EG&S pilot project comes from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) Program. ACAAF is designed to help implement innovative projects that will benefit the production and processing sector, bolster the industry's capacity to address current and emerging issues and position the agriculture and agri-food industry to seize new market opportunities.

Earlier this spring, the Prime Minister announced a $225 million investment in a national campaign to acquire and preserve ecologically sensitive land. Ducks Unlimited Canada has been identified as one of the conservation groups who will work towards this common goal. In addition, tax exemptions announced during Budget 2006 for donations of ecologically sensitive lands will further encourage Canadians to help preserve our environment.