Canada to invest $816M over seven years to protect the Great Lakes

The federal government announced an $816 million investment over seven years to strengthen maritime security across the Great Lakes, with Niagara set to house a 24/7 operations centre.

“Protecting Canada’s waters, especially the Great Lakes, is essential to our security and prosperity,” says Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.

“Through our Border Plan and the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration Systems and Borders Act, we are investing in modern surveillance, stronger intelligence and an expanded role for the Canadian Coast Guard to better detect and respond to threats, while keeping Canadians safe.”

Under the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration Systems and Borders Act, the Canadian Coast Guard is using its expanded resources to improve data sharing and maritime security.

Anandasangaree says Canada is dealing with complex security threats such as drugs and transnational organized crime and Niagara is geographically important to tackle these issues.

This will also strengthen their collaboration with other agencies such as border security, RCMP and local police.

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A new 24/7 marine security operations centre in Niagara will monitor the St. Lawrence region of the Great Lakes to speed up and coordinate security efforts.

“With a 24/7 presence, because we also know that those who are willing to exploit any type of system don’t necessarily work 9 to 5 and neither do the people here,” says Kevin Brosseau, the commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard.

“The whole idea around national security and intelligence is actually connecting the dots and ensuring that somebody has the information within the system, getting it to the person who can do something about it at the right time.”

Along the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence area, up to 11 radar sites will be at strategic locations to address existing gaps in maritime domain awareness and improve monitoring in key areas.

Autonomous systems, including drones, are also enhancing the Canadian Coast Guard’s ability to monitor and respond across Canada’s waters by extending operational reach from both land and vessels.

The Canadian Coast Guard is investing in new capabilities to enhance how it collects and shares information on marine activity including the installation of advanced camera systems on coast guard ships and helicopters.

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