Four coastal B.C. communities will receive $2.5 million for their role in a pilot project to develop, test and evaluate a new maritime awareness information system in Canada, Minister of Transport Marc Garneau announced in Victoria Friday.

B次元官网网址淟ocal knowledge and expertise is vital and our government is working with Indigenous and coastal communities and local stakeholders to protect our coasts,B次元官网网址� said Minister of Transport Marc Garneau.

The new maritime awareness information system will be web-based, user-friendly, and will increase access and expand the type of maritime data available to Indigenous peoples, coastal communities and other stakeholders. It will display a range of valuable near real-time data and maritime information, including vessel traffic and weather information.

This one-year pilot project is scheduled to launch in spring 2019 and will be piloted by 10 Indigenous communities, governments and organizations from across CanadaB次元官网网址檚 coasts.

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The funding announced Friday will go to the Council of the Haida Nation and the GitgaB次元官网网址檃t Nation, who are hosting two pilot projects on the North and Central Coast of B.C., as well as the TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke Nation and the Pacheedaht Nation, who are hosting a shared pilot project on the South Coast of Vancouver Island.

B次元官网网址淛ust as air-traffic control was developed to organize the movement of aircraft, we are working collaboratively to develop a system to better collect and share maritime information,B次元官网网址� said Garneau. B次元官网网址淭his announcement displays the governmentB次元官网网址檚 commitment to strengthening partnerships and exploring innovative solutions to improve our marine system and protect our coasts for generations to come.B次元官网网址�

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This funding is part of the five-year, $62.5 million Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness Initiative that was announced in November 2017. It is made available under the $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan (OPP), created to protect CanadaB次元官网网址檚 coasts and waterways. The Government of Canada has announced initiatives worth more than $600 million under the Oceans Protection Plan.