Overview

• Marineland has applied for federal permits to export all 30 remaining beluga whales, and Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson has not yet decided.
• DFO says Thompson will meet Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner in the coming days to discuss the application.
• Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China has expressed interest in acquiring the belugas, which would require federal approval.
• Premier Doug Ford called conditions at Marineland “terrible,” pledged to “do whatever it takes” for the whales’ welfare, and noted the facility’s care costs are mounting.
• Ontario has conducted more than 200 inspections since 2020 and issued 33 orders, with several long‑standing directives on water systems, records and enclosures still outstanding, as animal-welfare groups press for a seaside sanctuary that is not yet operational.