CALGARY -- The UCP government has committed funding for the construction of a new fish hatchery near Caroline and renovations to existing hatcheries in Calgary and Crowsnest Pass.
Minister of Environment and Parks Jason Nixon announced the province would provide $43 million in funding, including $16 million allocated in previous budgets, to three fish hatchery projects including:
- Ongoing upgrades to the Bow Habitat Station and Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery in Calgary ($12.6M project)
- Refurbishing the Allison Creek Brood Trout Station in Crowsnest Pass ($4M in improvements)
- Construction of a new Raven Creek Brook Trout Station near Caroline, to replace the facility that has been in operation since the 1930s, beginning in 2021 ($26M budgeted)
The upgrades will include the introduction of modernized operating systems to improve water quality while reducing water and energy consumption.
The Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery in Inglewood was built along the Bow River in 1973. Its upgrades are expected to be completed in the coming weeks and the facility will soon be running at full capacity.
Renovations to the Allison Creek Brood Trout Station, which was constructed in the 1980s, are slated to be finished this summer.
"Fishing is an important part of Alberta’s cultural fabric and supports countless jobs across the province," said Nixon in a statement released Monday. "Replacing and upgrading fish hatcheries enables us to increase our stocking programs, while ensuring these facilities operate more efficiently and are better protected against disease. The result will be a fishery that is strong, healthy, vibrant and sustainable for generations to come."
According to the province, Alberta's stocking program adds more than two million trout to the province's lakes and ponds each year.
