Oil spills in Canada

[Narrator]

The Salish Sea is one of the largest and most biologically diverse inland seas in the world. Its name pays tribute to the First Nations people who have inhabited the region since time immemorial.

Located in parts of British Columbia and parts of Washington State, the Salish Sea is not only a place of natural abundance, it's also an economic hub and home to the largest port in Canada.

Every day, container ships, tankers, tugs, barges, fishing boats and ferries operate within its waters. This is why protection of Canada's oceans and waterways is one of the government of Canada's most important roles.

[Robert Brooks – National Director of Marine Environmental and Hazard Response for the Canadian Coast Guard]

The Government of Canada's mandate in the Salish Sea is the same as it is in all Canadian waters. It's to ensure the safe and efficient movement of goods and the protection of its people and the environment.

[Narrator]

Canada has a strong marine safety system that is governed by numerous laws and regulations to prevent, prepare, respond and recover from incidents. Marine shipping is a global activity. Canada adheres to a number of international conventions and standards that set out common rules and practices related to safety, security and protection of the world's oceans. Canada is also part of several international agreements and conventions which allow us to share information with other countries to help identify vessels of interest.

For example, if a vessel is required to repair a defect in another country when the vessel arrives in Canada, Transport Canada, inspectors will board it to ensure the repair was made. This information is shared with other countries and in this way, unsafe ships are prevented from sailing in Canadian waters.

We also work with other nations, including the United States, to develop joint emergency plans.

[Dan Reid - Transport Canada Representative]

As in all areas of marine traffic. A wide range of marine incidents can occur from groundings from collisions between vessels to oceans, between vessels and fixed objects. There is also the risk of fire explosion, mechanical failure, all sorts of different things can cause marine incidents.

[Narrator]

Ships in Canadian waters also carry goods that, if spilled, create hazards to human health and marine life, damage infrastructure or interfere with other marine activities.

[Robert Brooks]

That's why it's critically important for us to ensure we have emergency response plans, resources and equipment to respond.

[Narrator]

The Government of Canada along with Indigenous Peoples and coastal communities, Pilotage and Port Authorities, the marine shipping industry and Regional Response Organizations have put systems in place to help prevent, prepare and respond to Marine Incidents on the Salish Sea

Starting with the 96 hour check-in.

All ships inbound to Canada make initial contact with the Government of Canada’s inter-departmental Marine Security Operations Centre four days or 96 hours before arrival, to provide pre-arrival information about the ship, its destination, tonnage, crew, and cargo.

The vessel is then monitored by Canadian Coast Guard. Their Marine Communications and Traffic Services centers broadcast maritime safety information, screen vessels entering Canadian waters, and regulate marine traffic to ensure the efficient movement of vessels in Canadian waters.

Transport Canada’s National Aerial Surveillance Program monitors ships as they approach British Columbia’s southern coastal waters to detect spills or pollutants, and track the movement of endangered whales. Their eyes in the sky are a powerful deterrent for marine pollution.

Before entering Canadian waters, ships contact the Canadian Coast Guard to provide their 24-hour report, which details the sail plan and any mechanical issues or operational requirements the ship might have.

As ships enter Canadian waters, having local knowledge of the Salish Sea’s waterways is crucial to ensure safety.

[Capt. Nathan Boutilier - BC Coast Pilots]

The area has strong tidal currents, numerous islands at times challenging weather conditions. A high volume of commercial and recreational traffic and, of course, marine mammals.

[Narrator]

The Pacific Pilotage Authority is responsible for making sure all inbound ships have access to that knowledge.

[Julie Gascon - Pacific Pilotage Authory, 2022-2024]

This means that we make sure there are highly qualified, trained and experienced Marine pilots with in-depth knowledge of our coastline. On board large commercial vessels such as tankers and cruise ships.

[Narrator]

Upon arriving in Canadian ports, Transport Canada’s Port State Control program inspects the vessels to ensure they’re operating in line with international standards and Canadian rules and regulations.

There are multiple safeguards for departing vessels, as well.

There are strict rules for full tankers to make sure accidents are prevented. These include limiting the time under the Burrard Inlet bridges - Lions Gate bridge and Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows bridge - and requiring mandatory tugboats to travel with tankers through the Vancouver Harbour and in the waters of the Salish Sea.

Escort tugs are also connected by lines or ropes to the tankers to help them navigate safely in the confined waters of Vancouver Harbour, Boundary Pass and Haro Strait, before pilots depart and the ship heads out to sea.

[Robert Brooks]

While preventing incidents in the Salish Sea is a priority, responding to an incident that's already happened quickly and effectively is important, to minimize any potential damage.

[Marine instructor]

The goal is to have the Current Buster being towed again. You've got two legs. The pocket have these legs nice and straight. If one vessel's too far ahead or kinked, then the legs kind of do a little like broken wishbone thing. And again, what we're looking for is is a nice steady top.

[Narrator]

The Canadian Coast Guard receives all reports of marine pollution in Canadian waters and oversees coordinates or conducts the cleanup to ensure an appropriate response.

Canada follows the “polluter pays” principle.

Ships and oil handling facilities that pollute must:

• report marine pollution
• take reasonable measures to protect the marine environment
• implement their pollution emergency plan
• use their own resources to clean up the spill, or activate response organizations or hire qualified contractors
• pay for the cleanup and damages

The Canadian Coast Guard will conduct the cleanup or hire a designated response organization, if:

• the polluter is unknown or fails to respond
• the polluter’s response is insufficient or inappropriate
• the spill originates in foreign waters and impacts Canadian waters

[Matthew Walker - Deputy Superintendent for Environmental Response Western Region]

The Canadian Coast Guard prepares with our response partners with coastal communities and with First Nations, and we do this by developing and maintaining integrated response plans.

When reports of marine pollution or hazardous vessels are received, we first and foremost inform our response partners.

[Narrator]

In the Salish Sea, one of those response partners is the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation.

[Jonathan Wray – Indigenous Relations Advisor]

We are the industry funded Transport Canada Certified Response Organization with a mandate to be prepared to respond to spills across BC's 27,000 kilometres of coast and mitigate the impacts of a spill if one does happen. Under federal legislation, certain sizes of ships and facilities conducting certain activities must have a contractual relationship with a response organization so that in the event anything happens, we can show up to take care of their pollution incident as required by law.

Under federal legislation, the polluters always required to pay for the costs of any cleanup associated with an oil spill incident.

[Narrator]

The WCMRC is also working with First Nations and coastal communities under its Coastal Response Program to share First Nations knowledge of environmental sensitivities, build geographic response strategies and employ local crew and vessels.

[Chief Chipps - Beecher Bay First Nation]

Before we started doing all this work with WCMRC and COTUG. It used to mean that we probably just answered a phone and waited for someone to show up. Today we are the tug escorts, so we're making sure that the oil ships that are going by are tethered to a ship that has our logo and we're participating in it.

We're also the spill response base. For some, it was super important to be part of the process because we're all fishermen. We're out there every day fishing. We see the whales, we see the seals, we know what it is to protect.

[Narrator]

There are many other players, including other federal and provincial departments and local agencies, that provide scientific information to help first responders manage oil spills.

[Robert Brooks]

The Oceans protection plan is the largest investment ever made to protect our waterways and coastlines, while also supporting a strong Canadian economy. Today, thanks to the progress that we've made through the Ocean Protection Plan, our Marine Safety system is stronger than ever.

[Dan Reid]

The Oceans Protection Plan is improving maritime safety and preparedness response by ensuring that there's comprehensive an integrated response plan and conducted with provincial, Indigenous, municipal and federal authorities. We work with industry to ensure that the plan's procedures, resources and equipment are in place and ready to respond.

[Narrator]

The Salish Sea is a place of abundance rich in cultural history, biodiversity and economic opportunity. The Government of Canada is committed to working with Indigenous and coastal communities and other partners to protect this waterway for generations to come.