Environmental recovery requires planning, organization, and resourcing, often over a long period of time, to coordinate efforts effectively. After an initial oil spill response and clean-up efforts have concluded, environmental impacts that have social, economic, and human health consequences for local and Indigenous communities can remain.
In 2019, under the first phase of the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada started working on an environmental recovery strategy, and studying best practices used internationally, identifying the gaps in Canada’s current oil spill regime, and suggesting key elements that should be included in a Canadian recovery framework.
Through the next phase of the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is developing a national environmental recovery strategy to minimize the lasting impacts from ship-source oil spills. The strategy will be sustainable, science-based, and coordinated among the various response partners.
In the event of an oil spill in Canadian waters, this strategy for environmental recovery will guide and clarify the efforts and roles of the Government of Canada beyond the response phase, improving the long-term environmental outlook.