Through the Oceans Protection Plan, we're committed to increasing Canada's emergency towing capacity to rescue disabled vessels and avoid potential marine incidents. To meet this commitment, we're developing a long-term national approach for emergency towing that will include options and recommendations on how to best meet emergency towing needs on all coasts.
On this page
Interim investments
While Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard are looking at longer-term options, we've taken concrete steps to increase emergency towing capacity in Canadian waters. These include:
- leasing 2 emergency towing vessels currently stationed off the coast of British Columbia, and
- adding towing capabilities to major Canadian Coast Guard vessels
Policy research and analysis
Our long-term approach will be shaped by feedback from various groups, research, and analysis. We will consider:
- the views of Indigenous Peoples, partners, and stakeholders;
- unique regional contexts and needs;
- what has worked in other countries;
- lessons learned from the 2 emergency towing vessels we've leased and stationed off the coast of B.C.; and
- marine shipping risk in Canada, especially the types of incidents that could benefit from emergency towing.
Assessing Canada's marine navigation risks
Early feedback from 2018-2020 highlighted the need for a study to better understand marine shipping risks in Canada. As part of this study, Transport Canada met regularly with partners and stakeholders to develop and refine an assessment methodology. The risk assessment was conducted between summer 2022 and summer 2023.