Cablegate: New Funding Program for Canadian Marine Facility Security

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HALIFAX 000134

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EWWT ATRN PINS MARR ASEC KCIP CA
SUBJECT: NEW FUNDING PROGRAM FOR CANADIAN MARINE FACILITY SECURITY

REF: 03 HALIFAX 0349

1. In a May 7 press conference at Pier 21 in Halifax, Canada
attended by Consul, Canadian Transport Minister Tony Valeri
announced a three-year, $115 million federal program to assist
Canadian ports and ports facilities upgrade their security.
This program will enable Canada to not only comply with new
International Maritime Organization security requirements which
take effect July 1, but will also bring Canada into compliance
with stricter North American requirements. According to
Valeri, the security funding - using the general 10:1 yardstick
- favorably compares with that which the USG is devoting to the
same purposes and matches the U.S. program to assist ports and
port facilities. The funding will be distributed under a 75
percent government/25 percent recipient cost-share formula, for
a total of $150 million in enhancements on such things as
surveillance, fencing and other perimeter controls, command,
control and communications structures, and infrastructure
protection by guards or police.

2. While this Marine Facility Security Contribution Program
funding is in addition to the $308 million already announced as
earmarked for marine security, both are part of the five-year
$690 million new national security policy announced April 27.
Fisheries and Ocean Minister Geoff Regan and Defense Minister
David Pratt then provided further details on how the marine
security funds will be spent on the Coast Guard and Navy. Major
projects are creation of joint marine security operations
centers in Halifax (Trinity) and Esquimalt, B.C. (Athena),
secure communications capability for Coast Guard vessels,
increased on-water days for both the Navy and Coast Guard, and
increased aerial surveillance time.

3. More details on Marine Facility Contribution Program can be
found at Transport Canada's website www.tc.gc.ca

HILL

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