The Mayor of North Saanich says she was excited to hear that the federal government is going to spend $80 million to replace some of the aging buildings at the Centre for Plant Health.
On April 3, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and federal Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced the government will spend $80 million between this year and 2022, and replace the Centre for Plant Health. The plan is to build a new laboratory for diagnostic testing, research and plant quarantine on the site, and replace some of the buildings there that are between 50 and 70 years old.
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Mayor Alice Finall said the announcement was a far cry from what happened in 2012, when the Centre faced staff cuts and the threat of outright closure under the then-Conservative government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
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B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not accepting weB次元官网网址檙e losing this battle,B次元官网网址� said Elizabeth May Green Party leader and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands at the time. B次元官网网址淥ne of the reasons they selected Vancouver Island as a quarantine centre [is]B次元官网网址� if there should ever be a mistake and a slip up and a [virus] were to slip through you could wipe out an industry. B次元官网网址� If youB次元官网网址檙e in the Okanagan thatB次元官网网址檚 devastating.B次元官网网址�
At the time, local municipal politicians spoke against the CentreB次元官网网址檚 closure, as well as against cuts in jobs with Parks Canada and other federal government scientific bodies, like North SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Institute of Ocean Sciences.
By October, 2012, the .
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Finall said this week that sheB次元官网网址檇 heard there was some money from Ottawa planned for the Centre, B次元官网网址渂ut this was a good surprise.B次元官网网址�
She said the Centre has been a valuable part of the Saanich Peninsula for 100 years and its research is important to local agricultural operators B次元官网网址� and to growing in general on the Peninsula. She said the re-investment in the Centre will help attract new researchers to the region and support is exiting staff. Finall added the Centre is one of the unique facilities within North Saanich B次元官网网址� including the Institute of Ocean Sciences and Pat Bay Coast Guard Station.
Finall added she expects many of the older buildings at the Centre could be replaced in this project. When construction begins, she said the District will work with contractors and the federal government to co-ordinate road closures and traffic interruptions on East Saanich Road near Panorama Recreation.
B次元官网网址淚t is exciting,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t will be a good addition to the community.B次元官网网址�
