Each year, the risk of oil spills from ships and other sources threaten Canada’s coastlines and marine ecosystems. The Canadian Coast Guard Environmental Response Program oversees the response to oil spills from ships and unknown sources in Canadian waters. They have specialized teams in each region to respond to incidents, while working with Canadian response partners, coastal communities, Indigenous communities, and other countries.
The next phase of the Oceans Protection Plan will help the Environmental Response Program continue to protect Canada’s coastlines and waterways. New pollution response vessels will be purchased. These vessels will feature modern green technology and reduce the fleet’s carbon footprint while enhancing their environmental response capacity.