Marineland is asking the federal government for emergency funding to help feed and care for its remaining whales, warning that without support, it may have to euthanize them.
The Niagara Falls attraction says the situation is a direct result of Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson’s decision to deny export permits for 30 beluga whales that were set to be sent to an aquarium in China.
Thompson said she rejected the permits because she does not want the belugas to end up performing in captivity, following a 2019 Canadian law that bans whale and dolphin captivity and performances.
Marineland argues that the minister’s decision blocks the whales from being sent to any other operational aquarium in the world.
“Our only options now are to find another facility or face the heartbreaking decision of euthanasia,” the park wrote in a letter to Thompson.
Since 2019, 20 whales — one orca and 19 belugas — have died at Marineland, according to data from The Canadian Press. The park has been up for sale since 2023 but hasn’t found a buyer, partly because of the challenges involved in caring for the remaining animals.
Marineland says it is out of money and deeply in debt. It has asked Ottawa for emergency funds to care for the whales until a safe relocation plan can be arranged.
A proposed whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia has stalled, leaving Marineland with few options. The park says it does not know of any facility that meets the minister’s strict conditions for exporting the animals.
Thompson has said she believes whales belong in the ocean, but added she is open to other ideas that support the animals’ well-being.
Marineland has also asked the government to help identify possible facilities that could take the whales.
“We understand the minister’s view against captivity,” the park said, “but these whales were born in captivity — releasing them into the wild would likely kill them.”
The federal government has not yet commented on Marineland’s latest request.
Marineland says it needs an answer from the minister by Tuesday or will assume the request has been denied and take action based on that outcome.
Besides the whales, Marineland still houses four dolphins, several seals, sea lions, bears, and deer. A beluga calf died in February, followed by another beluga and a harbour seal in August.
