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 entertainme

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