OCEANS PROTECTION PLAN
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Launched in 2016 and renewed in 2022 with a total investment of $3.5B, Oceans Protection Plan (OPP) continues to enhance Canada’s marine safety and environmental protection system.
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Of this $3.5B in funding, $180M is in Transport’s 2025-26 Main Estimates. This $180M includes operating, capital and transfer payment funding. The transfer payment funding is for the Program to Protect Canada’s Coastlines and Waterways.
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In the 2024-25 Main Estimates, the Oceans Protection Plan had planned spending authorities of $216M. This $216M included operating, capital and transfer payment funding.
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The decrease in planned spending authorities between the two years’ Main Estimates is mainly due to the capital funding. There is less capital funding for the Oceans Protection Plan in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25 because there was realignment of funding to meet the project needs of the new aircraft hangar for the National Aerial Surveillance Program in Iqaluit.
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The Oceans Protection Plan is building on the strong marine safety and environmental protection system by addressing gaps in marine incident prevention, emergency preparedness and recovery, ecosystem protection, and fostering new partnerships with Indigenous and coastal communities.
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SUPPLEMENTARY MESSAGES
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Under the Oceans Protection Plan, Canada has amended legislation, improved navigation products, services, and infrastructure, increased marine preparedness and response capabilities, enhanced marine situational awareness for indigenous groups and communities, and procured new, modern environmental response equipment and capacity to enhance Canada’s already robust marine safety and environmental protection system.
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We will continue working with our partners to implement measures to address environmental and marine shipping related concerns, while also enhancing the safety and efficiency of the marine sector.
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The success of Oceans Protection Plan is due in large part to the unprecedented partnerships that have been formed. Oceans Protection Plan initiatives continue to support marine safety, environmental protection, and reconciliation through establishment of Indigenous roles in the marine safety system.
UPDATE
The Oceans Protection Plan was renewed through Budget 2022 with $2.0 billion over nine years, bringing the total investment to $3.5 billion. Since renewal, initiatives have progressed, some examples include:
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The Regulatory Roundtable initiative aims to strengthen regulatory development by engaging and including Indigenous advice and comments on marine safety and environmental protection regulations. This process was co-designed with over 70 Indigenous organizations across all coasts. The Regulatory Roundtable initiative has successfully created Tables in all coastal regions with continued interest from additional Indigenous organizations to participate.
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The Ballast Water Innovation Program that funds 3 research and trial projects with the objective of keeping invasive species out of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. These projects include trials of ballast water treatment systems, overall performance assessments and water quality tests;
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The Safety Equipment and Basic Marine Infrastructure in Northern Communities (SEBMINC) initiative continues to provide funding for infrastructure projects in northern communities. To date, the initiative has provided more than $149M in funding for these projects;
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The Comprehensive Strategy for Vessels of Concern initiative continues to remove and dispose of vessels of concern from Canadian waters. It has removed over 90 vessels of concern from Canadian waterways since 2022, to increase marine safety and reduce the risk of pollution. They are also working on the development of the Vessel Remediation Fund.
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The Office of Boating Safety is continuing to provide training sessions to enforcement partners, partner organizations, and Marine Safety Inspectors and Boating Safety Officers; and
SUPPORTING FACTS AND FIGURES
Highlights of Oceans Protection Plan implementation to date:
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Passed legislation and amendments (e.g., Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (CSA, 2001), Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act (WAHVA), Pilotage Act, Marine Liability Act (MLA), Oil Tanker Moratorium Act) to strengthen marine safety and environmental protection and modernize Canada’s marine liability and compensation regime;
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Working with Indigenous peoples on the West Coast, ongoing work to understand and mitigate the cumulative effects of marine shipping.
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Co-developed the Enhanced Marine Situational Awareness (EMSA) initiative with Indigenous partners (a web-based platform that shares near real-time marine traffic and environmental data to help enhance local marine safety).
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Bolstered incident response capacity, increased aerial surveillance, and developed ocean models in the South Salish Sea, Vancouver Harbour, and the Lower Fraser River to improve navigation safety and support incident response.
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Provided funding for infrastructure projects in Northern communities to make marine shipping safer through the Safety Equipment and Basic Marine Infrastructure in Northern Communities (SEBMINC) initiative.
BACKGROUND
Launched in 2016 and renewed in 2022, the Oceans Protection Plan is enhancing Canada’s marine safety and environmental protection system, with the objective of reducing the impacts of marine traffic. Since 2016, the Oceans Protection Plan has made shipping safer, increased protections for our marine ecosystems, and strengthened the role of Indigenous Peoples and coastal communities. The plan is driving more pro-active approaches to ocean stewardship, while also improving capacity to respond to marine incidents.