New Brunswick’s Environment Minister Gilles LePage says the province’s Environmental Trust Fund only has $7.5 million in funding for next year. Beyond that, he cannot confirm there will be funding. “I can’t give that confirmation because of course we, strategically funding, we have to find the funds somewhere. So, we are trying to find some solutions within our department and within our partners,” he said in an interview on Wednesday. The funding impacts a wide breadth of work — including supporting conservation, waste management and environmental awareness initiatives. It also supports many of the watershed associations around the province, like the Hammond River Angling Association. “If the funding does not continue, the overall impact would be really, really large. For some of the smaller organizations, this could include a significant decrease in staffing capacity or potential to not run their organization at all,” said Sarah Blenis, the association’s project manager. She said one third of the association’s operating budget this year came from the fund. Organizations like hers participate in habitat restoration, wildlife protection and natural infrastructure upgrades. They also monitor water quality levels — which has an impact on local cyanobacteria research. Meghann Bruce, a research scientist specializing in cyanobacteria research with the Canadian Rivers Institute, said she relies on collaboration with non-profits, as well as other researchers and government work. That could be at risk if the fund does not continue. “The Environmental Trust Fund is really important because it fills a critical niche in our province to support these groups doing this work. So, they do a lot of work that government itself doesn’t have capacity to do,” she said. “It’s not just my work, it’s the ability to work with other people and the ability for science to be able to reach the public and these other groups that are doing the same type of work,” she added. And LePage said he recognizes the fund’s importance. “I can assure you that I’ve been working with the watershed associations prior to being minister, when I was critic of environment, and that’s what we heard. They need sustainable financial contributions and partnerships because this is a partnership,” he said. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
