Marineland’s request for federal funds to care for belugas ‘inappropriate’: minister

Beluga whales swim in a tank at Marineland amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ont., Friday, June 9, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Marineland’s request for emergency funding from Ottawa, in a letter that warned 30 belugas at the park will otherwise be euthanized, is “inappropriate,” Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson said Monday.

The Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction made the request Friday with a deadline of Tuesday after Thompson denied Marineland permits to move Canada’s last captive whales to an aquarium in China.

Marineland has said it is fully indebted, quickly running out of money to feed and care for the whales and needs an immediate injection of cash.

Thompson said Marineland is accountable for the care of its remaining belugas, after the deaths of 19 such whales at the park since 2019. The park’s last killer whale, Kiska, died in 2023.

“The decision that was made last week to not grant the permits to export the belugas to China was based on the 2019 strengthening of the Fisheries Act and Criminal Code, which is intended to not allow for the exploitation of the belugas,” Thompson said in Ottawa.

“So frankly, for Marineland to immediately respond with a request for federal funding is inappropriate.”

Asked if the federal government would honour that request, Thompson said: “It’s not the point.”

Marineland did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Last week, Thompson said she denied the permits to move the whales to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom because she did not want to subject them to a future performing in captivity, which is consistent with the law passed in 2019.

Marineland had signed a deal to ship all of its remaining belugas to Chimelong, which took more than a year to finalize. Chimelong has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Marineland has since said they have no other options to move the whales. A proposed seaside sanctuary in Nova Scotia is not operational nor has it received permission from several landowners to be able to use the land and the ocean.

In its letter to Thompson on Friday, Marineland wrote that euthanasia would be a “direct consequence” of her decision to deny permits for the belugas’ export to China.

Thompson also said Ontario has a role to play as it ensures the welfare of animals across the province.

A spokesperson for Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said the province conducts regular inspections at Marineland to ensure standards of care are being met.

“We have done our part, and inspectors continue to ensure that Marineland meets the province’s strict standards,” Dakota Moniz said in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2025.

--with files from David Baxter in Ottawa