Ottawa, ON — Canada's high quality, sustainable fish and seafood products are known worldwide. Canada and the provinces and territories are expanding markets, building on Canada's strong international brand and growing trade opportunities under the CUSMA, CETA, CPTPP trade agreements. Canada is now the only G7 country to have free trade agreements with all other G7 countries, and we have preferential access to almost two-thirds of the global economy.

And further, with the new 2018 Fall Economic Statement, we are taking the next step and launching an Export Diversification Strategy to increase Canada's overseas exports by 50%.

Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, is joining provincial and territorial partners to announce the launch the Canadian Fish and Seafood Opportunities Fund, a new cost-shared fund (70% federal and 30% provincial territorial) to promote market access and development for the fish and seafood industry. The fund will enable provinces and territories to support their industries' priority projects and help Canadians working in the fish and seafood sector by creating jobs and developing more opportunities for Canadian products.

The $42.85 million program will support the fish and seafood sectors in all participating provinces and territories by encouraging industry collaboration to promote high quality products. The Government of Canada will continue to work with its provincial and territorial partners to develop industry partnerships, and will engage stakeholders to help shape the program and identify ongoing priority areas for investments in Canada over the life of the program.