Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations
Location: National
Issue/Source: Modernization of the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR) / TRAN
Date: March 2024
Suggested Responses
- The Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR) provide local authorities with a means to address specific issues caused by boating activities on their local waterways.
- Transport Canada recognizes that the current process to request new restrictions needs to be improved and is working on modernizing the VORR.
- [ Redacted ] In the meantime, the department is working with stakeholders to process incoming requests as quickly as possible within the existing framework and address safety issues on their waterways.
Background Information
- The Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR) regulate boating activities in Canadian waters. The various restrictions are listed in the eight Schedules of the VORR, which specify the type of restrictions in place, as well as their location.
- While the federal government has constitutional authority over navigation, there is a need to allow local authorities to have a more direct process in place to identify problems on their waterways and put restrictions in place.
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- Consultations on the modernized Regulations took place in fall 2023. A “What We Heard” report should be published on Transport Canada’s Let’s Talk Transportation webpage in March. Pre-publication of the proposed changes in the Canada Gazette, Part I is targeted for late spring 2024.