Canada is investing C$1.2 billion to strengthen marine protection, monitoring and emergency-response infrastructure as the country prepares for growing activity in its coastal waters.

The federal government announced the investment on September 29, outlining a package designed to improve marine safety while protecting ocean ecosystems and supporting Indigenous-led conservation efforts.

The funding will expand Canada’s ability to monitor marine traffic, respond to environmental emergencies and protect marine species. It will also support new technology and infrastructure intended to improve awareness of activity in Canadian waters.

More than C$740 million over four years will go toward ocean conservation and marine safety. The measures include expanded Canadian Coast Guard monitoring, additional radar and VHF coverage, improved search-and-rescue capabilities, nearshore weather forecasting and upgraded pollution-response systems.

The government is also allocating C$136 million for marine life protection. This includes work on a national marine-mammal oil-spill response plan and efforts to monitor and reduce underwater noise that can affect whales and other marine species.

Another C$186 million will support the Northern Shelf Bioregion Reconciliation Framework Agreement. The funding is intended to strengthen conservation, waterway management and emergency preparedness through partnerships with Indigenous communities in the Great Bear Sea region.

The broader investment will also support seabed mapping and marine-traffic monitoring, giving authorities more information about activity and conditions in Canadian waters.

The announcement comes as Canada anticipates increased marine and trade activity, particularly on the West Coast. The federal government has linked the investment to the need for stronger environmental safeguards as major infrastructure and shipping activity expands.

Ottawa said the new funding builds on C$3.2 billion already invested in ocean-protection systems, research and personnel.

The government says the latest investment is intended to provide the infrastructure, monitoring capacity and emergency-response tools needed to protect Canada’s marine environment while supporting the country’s expanding marine economy.