Sometimes, the benefits of the canal’s restoration can be difficult to appreciate, because the financial and well-being impacts are spread across various local individuals and businesses. There are already, of course, many benefits to the existing stretch of the canal’s restoration around Welshpool. The Heulwen Trust does amazing work offering canal trips to those who might not otherwise be able to access them, on the UK's first adapted boat for vulnerable people. These trips are offered free of charge thanks to local fundraising and help people in more difficult circumstances to celebrate birthdays and enjoy time with loved ones, and they can of course access and enjoy the benefits that many of us enjoy on the waterways. I was very pleased to join them myself for a journey on the boat the Heulwen II—again, there's a picture you can perhaps just about see behind me on my wall.

Local people will benefit in a number of ways from the canal’s restoration. There’ll be increased employment opportunities from the new and expanded businesses to the area, and I’m confident that many private enterprise and investment opportunities will be unlocked by the restoration. The restoration represents a huge regeneration opportunity and I'm very keen that Powys County Council comes to the table with a master plan on the back of the public sector investment.

In the wake of the pandemic, of course, exercise, as we know, is even more important to us than ever before. Those who have canals in other constituencies will know just how popular they can be for local people when it comes to walking and taking out dogs or undertaking other exercise. I was very pleased some years ago to visit the canals in Scotland, along with a number of other Senedd Members as well, to understand the benefits there, and I was quickly persuaded, as I know all Members were on that trip, that waterways encourage people to exercise more and improve well-being, as a number of reports demonstrate. The canal locally already hosts the Montgomery canal triathlon, which brings 200 entrants from across the UK and 90 volunteers together. The canal is also, of course, part of our local history and culture. Preserving it, with its fantastic range of listed structures, will serve and save an important part of our shared past for future generations to come.

So, what will the future bring? Over 10 years post restoration, the additional visitor income generated by the canal is estimated to be over £23 million, according to the feasibility studies by the Montgomery canal partnership. Of course, this will benefit shops, cafes and attractions and, by restoring the canal and boosting those businesses, more facilities for local people and tourists in our towns and villages can, of course, be preserved. The canal will also give mid Wales a brand to promote itself to potential visitors. Of course, Montgomeryshire has brilliant visitor attractions, such as Powis castle and Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, which the canal will complement as well.

Conservation and sympathetic, sustainable reopening of the canal are also at the heart of the ethos of all those involved in the delivery of this exciting project, and I'm very pleased that the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, of which I’m also a member, has actively contributed to this project, and will continue to do so.

Ambition for the area for progressing the project to the complete restoration of the canal is extremely high. The momentum that we now see will get a substantial section of the canal finished. We should be looking then, of course, to press on with plans for the Newtown section, so that, when construction is finished on the current stages, energy, manpower and funding will continue with the restoration. Newtown Town Council have been enthusiastic supporters of the project and I know are very keen to support some of the funding of works required for this phase.

I’m particularly pleased as well to see that the restoration of the canal has seen such widespread support from across the political spectrum. I know that Jane Dodds and my colleague, James Evans, will be speaking in support of the canal restoration today as well. But, from my own party, my own MP, Craig Williams, has been actively campaigning for the canal and has made it one of his priorities since being re-elected. Back in 2020, the First Minister spoke very favourably about the project when I asked him about the efforts to promote the fantastic heritage of mid Wales, and I know the previous economy Minister, Ken Skates, was very positive and supportive of the scheme, and he certainly has expressed his wider view that the canals are vital for the tourism industry in Wales. I agree, of course, wholeheartedly, and I hope that the continuation of this project will see mid Wales enjoy the same benefits as other areas of Wales with active, joined-up canals. I was also delighted when Lord Elis-Thomas joined me on a trip on the Welshpool section of the canal, back in October 2018. You'll have to have very good eyesight to see the small picture behind me of me and Dafydd on the canal back in 2018. And Dafydd, as the tourism Minister then, was particularly keen to see the restoration of the canal. 

So, much has already been achieved in the canal's restoration, and this has been significantly boosted recently by a number of significant announcements of funding. I'm sure the Minister will want to encourage all departments across the Welsh Government to support the organisations restoring the canal in seeking further funding opportunities for this project, which links our communities together. And we should celebrate the canal's further potential for boosting our local well-being, economy and heritage, and thank those very many volunteers who, over many decades, have already done so much for our community. Diolch yn fawr.