Funding to address the threat of acoustic disturbances from vessel traffic
Requesting $250,000 for the 2020-21 Supplementary Estimates B
Transport Canada is seeking access to $250,000 in planned spending authorities.
Key Messages:
- Funding has been allocated under the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, to enable Transport Canada to deliver the Quiet Vessel Initiative.
- The Quiet Vessel Initiative was initially allocated operating funding to deliver the program, however, contribution funding was subsequently requested through reprofile in order to align Indigenous engagement approaches with other Transport Canada led accommodation measures (i.e. Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness Initiative, Marine Safety Equipment and Training Initiative).
- The Quiet Vessel Initiative is one of the Trans Mountain Accommodation Measures that have been implemented to address project-related concerns of affected Indigenous groups.
- Specifically, it is addressing Indigenous groups’ concerns about the impacts of projected-related underwater vessel noise on the Salish Sea, and vulnerable marine mammals – including the Southern Resident killer whale.
- Contribution funding has been made available to Indigenous communities located along the marine shipping corridor associated with the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, to undertake studies, research and projects to:
- Assess the impacts of underwater vessel noise on the marine environment;
- Develop their internal capacity on the science of underwater vessel noise; and,
- Undertake projects to “quiet” their vessels, such as installing quiet propellers.
- These funds will enable the department to advance underwater noise research, and continue to maintain and enhance meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and stakeholders as part of the Trans Mountain Expansion Project’s implementation.
- Program outcomes will contribute to the Government of Canada’s efforts to advance sustainable marine shipping – domestically, and internally – by accelerating the adoption of quiet vessel designs, retrofits and operational practices.
Background
- Underwater noise from vessels has been identified as a contributor to adverse effects on the marine environment and vulnerable marine mammals. Despite the known impacts of underwater vessel noise on marine ecosystems, significant knowledge gaps exist about the different sources of on-board ship noise (i.e., engines, propellers, hull design, etc.), their overall contribution to producing noise, and the most effective noise mitigation technologies or designs for different vessel classes.
- As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to address the increase in underwater noise resulting from the vessel traffic, the Quiet Vessel Initiative was developed to help address existing knowledge gaps and provide evidence on the most effective approaches to quieting vessels as part of a long-term solution to vessel noise.
- The goal of the Quiet Vessel Initiative is to support the use of safe, environmentally-responsible, and effective low-noise technologies and operational practices through research and testing. It is engaging with Indigenous communities about quiet vessel solutions and their participation in the initiative, as well as funding the development of technologies to improve marine mammal detection and reduce the risks of vessel strikes.
- The Quiet Vessel Initiative was initially allocated operating funding to deliver the program.
- In total, $5M in operating funding was converted into contributions over the FY2019-20 to FY2024-25 period for this program. However, the current request is only to transfer $1.25M from FY2019-20 and FY2020-21 through Supplementary Estimates B.
- Under the Quiet Vessel Initiative, the Government of Canada is providing contribution funding to twenty-nine (29) eligible Indigenous communities located along the marine shipping corridor associated with the Trans Mountain Expansion project.
- Participation of Indigenous communities will help advance research into quiet vessel technologies, help assess the effectiveness of operational and technical mitigations aimed at reducing underwater noise, and help Indigenous communities to continue building upon their technical training and capacity in this area.