Evidence of meeting #28 for Fisheries and Oceans in the 39th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was science.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
That would be $82 million over five years, it would be for a five-year period.
Bloc
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
No, no, that is the total amount. It represents a one-time investment.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
It would be a one-time amount.
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
Sometimes I have to pinch myself, just to be sure.
The divestiture program is one thing. Then there is the program to reinvest in repairs and restoration. That program has a budget of $20 million which ends this year. I don't know if I understood correctly what was said a little earlier, but do you intend to renew the funding for this program, or perhaps take some money over the next five years from the small craft harbours program? How much would that be in total?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Based on our estimates, we would need $20 million. We need that specific $20 million, plus an additional amount of $35 million, for a total of approximately $130 million per year for that program.
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
One hundred and thirty million dollars compared to the current $97 million? Are you saying that the funding would go from $97 million to $130 million?
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
And the additional amount per year would be about $40 million?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes, approximately that.
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
All right. Forty million dollars per year over five years amounts to $200 million. Is that right?
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Yes. The total amount, including Nunavut, etc., would be about—
Bloc
Raynald Blais Bloc Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC
You will admit that $200 million is still far from enough. Five years down the road, we might realize that the amount should have been $470 million instead of the estimated amount of $400 million.
Don't you think that we might ultimately fail, that this might be a Band-Aid solution, if I my use that expression, because we would not have repaired and restored the harbours? If we invest an additional $200 million, and if in five years we realize that the amount should have been higher, it may end in failure. I feel that, given the long delays, we should invest more.
Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Based on our estimates, and perhaps Mr. Hegge would like to add a few words, we believe that $130 million per year are enough: $82 million to complete the divestiture program and $40 million to establish five small harbours in Nunavut. In our opinion, this is adequate funding for the program.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Perhaps I can add a few words. With the $200 million over five years, based on our analysis and a report—I believe the committee is aware of a study which was done five years ago—we could end up with 750 small craft harbours in fairly good condition. Today, for example, about 20% of our small craft harbours are in disrepair. The $200 million will help us generally address the issue, and we would then end up with 750 small craft harbours which will be in fairly good condition. Afterwards, we would need—and this is what we are trying to explain to you—more money than what we are currently receiving for the maintenance of these harbours.
Conservative
Conservative
Fabian Manning Conservative Avalon, NL
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Just to continue in the same vein as my colleagues across the way, am I correct in saying that out of small craft harbours, $22.5 million is used for capital? Is that the plan here? Is $22.5 million used for capital out of the $96.6 million?
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
The amount we use for maintenance of our harbours is the bulk of our budget--around $80 million, I believe. That includes both major and minor capital.
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Corporate Services, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
The $22.5 million--
