Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $1.2 billion federal package to protect Canada’s oceans, just as the government prepares to decide on a new Alberta‑to‑British Columbia pipeline and a major port expansion.

The funding is designed to cut the impact of underwater noise on marine life, strengthen fisheries enforcement, expand the Canadian Coast Guard’s ability to monitor marine traffic, and improve seabed mapping across the country.

Specifically, $100 million will go toward long‑term monitoring and mitigation of noise on the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic coasts, while $90 million will equip fisheries officers with modern tools such as drones.

The announcement came ahead of Ottawa’s deadline to decide whether to label the proposed pipeline as a project of national interest. The government promotes the pipeline as a way to create almost 150,000 jobs and diversify Canada’s economy away from the United States.

Carney said the approach is to “protect‑while‑we‑build,” meaning new infrastructure can proceed only if robust environmental safeguards are in place. He highlighted plans for a national near‑shore weather‑forecasting system, a marine‑mammal oil‑spill response plan, and increased Indigenous‑led stewardship in vulnerable estuaries.

By pairing a huge ocean‑protection budget with large‑scale economic projects, Canada aims to balance growth with the health of its marine ecosystems and the fisheries that depend on them.