As per her press statement issued Minister Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, said that she is very much support the purposes of the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. As the title rightly indicates, the Act will help protect our iconic lighthouses. Its other central purpose is ensuring that communities have a say. She added that it is urgent the Act now requires the Canadian Coast Guard to identify lighthouses that may be eligible for heritage designation.
Shea said that the government will work to ensure that heritage lighthouses are protected. Together with the provinces and interested community groups iconic symbols of Canadian maritime heritage will, under this Act, be eligible for not only heritage designation but statutory protection.
As per her statement these lighthouses may represent important and attractive economic opportunities for the communities in which they are located. The Act recognizes that the public has an important role to play in the conservation and protection of heritage lighthouses. The government, says Shea, has prepared a detailed guide to developing a business plan, in order to support anyone wishing to acquire a lighthouse.
