Government of Canada Supports Community Environmental Projects in Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo

KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - March 16, 2010) - On behalf of Canada's Environment Minister, the Honourable Jim Prentice, Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, today announced an investment of $78,420 into three local environmental projects in British Columbia.

"These investments will ensure the diverse habitats and species at risk within our region are protected and given a chance to become vibrant once again," said MP McLeod. "I am pleased to see such strong environmental stewardship at the community level."

"Protecting biological diversity will help ensure that Canadians can benefit from Canada's natural beauty for years to come," added Minister Prentice. "These projects are another example of our government taking action to conserve, protect and restore Canada's environment."

The B.C. Ministry of Environment will receive $28,500 for two different projects and the Grasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia will receive $49,920. These initiatives will increase protection of species at risk and their habitat in the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo region and are funded through Canada's Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk.

Habitat loss and degradation are among the greatest threats to biological diversity in Canada. The Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk, managed by Environment Canada in partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada, is a key initiative in meeting commitments under the federal Species at Risk Act. Projects under this program help protect species at risk in a number of ways, including invasive species removal, habitat restoration and enhancements, ecosystem inventories and mapping, and community outreach and education.

"The B.C. Government is committed to protecting species at risk and anything we can do to protect valuable habitat is important work," said B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner. "B.C.'s Conservation Framework is the tool this province developed to prevent species and ecosystems from becoming at risk while also maintaining the diversity of native species and ecosystems."

In 2010-the International Year of Biodiversity-the Government of Canada encourages Canadians to seek opportunities to take action toward conserving biodiversity. Your actions, large or small, will help to protect the abundance and variety of life that is part of our natural heritage.

For further information on the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, please visit the Web gateway of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, at http://www.cbd.int/2010/, as well as the Web site of the Canadian Biodiversity Information Network, at http://www.cbin.ec.gc.ca/.

Additional information about the Habitat Stewardship Program is available on Environment Canada's website, at http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hsp-pih.

For more information and to view a backgrounder on this announcement, please visit: www.ec.gc.ca.

(Egalement offert en francais)