Ottawa denies Marineland request to export its remaining beluga whales to China

Ottawa has denied a request from Marineland to send its remaining beluga whales to China, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson said Wednesday 

The federal government will not grant an export permit to ship the 30 whales to the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom aquarium, she said. 

They are the last captive whales in Canada.

Twenty whales — one killer whale and 19 belugas — have died at the Niagara Falls, Ont., tourist attraction since 2019, according to a database created by The Canadian Press based on internal documents and official statements.

"This is a very difficult decision to make, but it is rooted in the Fisheries Act and I'm proud that in Canada we do have an act that's very specific around the treatment of whales in particular, and how it is not OK to keep them in captivity for entertainment purposes," Thompson told Parliament Hill reporters on Wednesday morning. 

"All whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks for entertainment purposes."

She said the decision is consistent with a 2019 law that banned whale and dolphin captivity, made entertainment shows illegal and forbade breeding.

Thompson said she is open to "looking at other decisions that really speak to the health and well-being of the whales."

Asked what will happen next, she said: "That decision sits with Marineland."

Marineland did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has maintained that it treats its whales in accordance with the law. 

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was disappointed the federal government would not sign off on the animals' move.

"You know I'm an animal lover and it's just a sad situation," he said at Queen's Park in Toronto. "I'm really encouraging the federal government to allow us to make sure that these whales survive in a really great atmosphere or a new home."

He said the province will help try to find other options for Marineland's whales.

"We don't have to move all 30 in one shot, a couple here, a couple there," Ford said. "And we want them to survive and if they don't, well, the federal government has to answer on that one."

Shipping the whales out of the country is likely the only option, Ford said.

"We need a proper home for them, simple as that," he said. "We gotta save the whales."

Marineland announced it was for sale in early 2023. It opened that summer, but had shuttered a few rides. It closed to the public in late summer 2024 and has not reopened. It did not open this year as it looks to sell the park and the vast swath of land it owns near Horseshoe Falls. No sale has yet been announced.

Four dolphins, a few seals and sea lions and a contingent of bears and deer remain at Marineland.

The law that banned whale captivity did not apply to the existing population of captive whales at Marineland, but the park had to comply with another part of the law that forbade breeding. 

The legislation also banned the importation and exportation of whales, though there are exceptions for scientific research or "if it is in the best interest" of the animal, with discretion left up to the minister.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has said it is also aware of the proposed Whale Sanctuary Project in Nova Scotia, but noted it is "not operational."

That $20-million project has been delayed for years. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press earlier this year through freedom of information laws state a U.S.-based group won't be granted a Crown lease for 81 hectares of land and water near Wine Harbour, N.S., unless the landowners grant unanimous consent.

Ontario is responsible for enforcing animal welfare laws and has conducted a sprawling, ongoing investigation into Marineland since 2020. Inspectors have visited the park more than 200 times and issued 33 orders for compliance.

The province still has four long-term outstanding orders against Marineland. Those are focused on the water quality, the maintenance and repair of the water system, proper record-keeping for whales and dolphins and the condition of enclosures and enrichment level for dolphins, seals and sea lions, the Ministry of the Solicitor General has said.

In 2021, the province declared all marine mammals at Marineland in distress, citing poor water. Marineland disagreed, filed an appeal to an order and then dropped its appeal.

Marineland has said the water quality has not played a role in the deaths of the belugas and that they are a part of the natural cycle of life.

A juvenile beluga died in February, while another beluga whale and a harbour seal died at the park in mid-August.

Phil Demers, a former Marineland whale trainer turned outspoken critic, said he is still worried about the belugas, but remains hopeful that a quick solution can be found.

"It narrows the options for the belugas, which at least it eliminates that specific place for consideration," he said of the Chinese park.

"And with that, you hope that it opens new opportunities for consideration, as one door shuts, you hope another one opens."

Denying the transfer is the right move, said Camille Labchuk of Animal Justice.

"We applaud the federal government for prioritizing the best interests of these incredible, intelligent animals,” Labchuk said, adding that Chimelong has an active breeding program and its whales perform in shows for the public. 

Labchuck pushed the idea of sending them to a sanctuary. 

World Animal Protection said Ford should lead the charge to help get the proposed Whale Sanctuary Project up and running in Nova Scotia.

“Exporting them to China is not the solution," said campaign director Melissa Matlow.

"Ford has the opportunity to show real leadership by working with Ottawa and Nova Scotia to finally get the whale sanctuary off the ground creating a safe, natural ocean environment where they can thrive. If there’s political will to make it happen, it can happen.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2025.

–With files from Kyle Duggan in Ottawa