Canada and B.C. Allocate $120 Million for Indigenous-Led Marine Protected Areas Along Great Bear Sea

BELLA BELLA, BC — Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Columbia Premier David Eby joined leadership from 15 Coastal First Nations to announce the execution of a historic tripartite finance agreement, dedicating $120 million to establish and co-manage the Great Bear Sea Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network.

Protecting 100,000 Square Kilometers of Pristine Pacific Coastline

The funding agreement establishes permanent conservation endowments to support Indigenous Guardian watchmen patrol vessels, marine ecological research buoys, and sustainable fisheries management across 100,000 square kilometers of marine waters from Northern Vancouver Island to the Alaska border. The protected network safeguards critical kelp forest ecosystems, humpback whale migratory routes, and wild Pacific salmon estuaries while providing sustainable ecotourism and marine stewardship jobs for coastal Indigenous communities.

Prime Minister Carney and Premier Eby affirmed that Indigenous-led conservation represents the highest standard of environmental stewardship and true economic reconciliation.

Coastal First Nations and Marine Science Stance

Coastal First Nations President Christine Smith-Martin celebrated the agreement as a world-leading model of shared ocean governance.

Marine conservation organizations praised the permanent protection of ecologically vital glass sponge reefs.

Guardian Patrol Deployment Schedule

Expanded Indigenous Guardian marine patrol vessels and sensor stations will deploy across the Great Bear Sea network in October 2026.