NR-MAR-04-05E

DFO TO CONSOLIDATE SOUTHWEST NEW BRUNSWICK OFFICES IN ST. GEORGE

May 20, 2004

St. George, N.B. - The Honourable Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced plans to consolidate two Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) offices in southwestern New Brunswick in a new building planned for St. George, N.B.

"This move will stabilize operating costs, improve safety, efficiency and security for staff, and will provide improved, streamlined services to the fishing and aquaculture industries in southwest New Brunswick," Minister Regan said.

The new DFO facilities will accommodate the 20 staff of the Southwest New Brunswick Area Office, currently housed in leased space on upper floors of the old St. Andrews post office. It will also accommodate 10 Conservation and Protection branch staff who currently use leased offices in the St. George Masonic Hall but must also store some equipment 80 kilometres away in Saint John or 31 kilometres away in St. Andrews, and whose patrol boat is stored 15 kilometres away at Pennfield, N.B.

Planning has been completed for DFO to become the principal tenant of a new federal building in St. George, to be constructed and operated by Public Works and Government Services Canada. The new building should be ready for occupancy by August 2005.

"This is welcome news to both our clients and Area staff who currently operate from several sites dispersed over a very wide area," said Gerald Cline, Acting Area Director for Southwest New Brunswick.

DFO will contribute $500,000 to outfit its portion of the building and pay a portion of annual operating and maintenance costs.

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