Canada's last captive whales will remain at Marineland for now after the federal government denied its request to ship 30 belugas to China.
The federal government will not grant an export permit to ship the whales to the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom aquarium, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson said Wednesday.
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.