The blue economy strategy is a priority in my mandate letter, recognizing that Canada, with three oceans and the longest coastline in the world, has the potential for significant growth in the ocean sector. We can look at countries that are other ocean nations, like Norway, where 37% of their GDP is driven by the ocean sector. In Canada, it's 1.6%. We know there's a lot of potential and that we could do a lot more.
To your point with regard to the small craft harbours, making sure that our coastal communities have the infrastructure they need in order to drive their economy is critical. That's why that investment in the budget is so significant and so important.
I will also say that the consultation process that we've undertaken for the blue economy strategy has been significant, and it's extremely important, because we need to make sure that any investments we make are done strategically. We need to make sure that we have the right path forward with regard to the environment and the economy, making sure that our blue economy strategy is sustainable and making sure that this is there for the long term. It's not just a quick fix and it's not just a one-year plan as we come out of COVID; this is going to drive our rural coastal communities' economies for the next 15 to 20 years.