Let’s Talk Transportation: Domestic vessel oversight review

As part of our work promoting safety at sea under the Oceans Protection Plan, Transport Canada is reviewing how we oversee domestic commercial vessels.

Background

Since its launch in 2016, the Oceans Protection Plan has helped protect Canada’s oceans and wildlife. The plan’s mandate grew in 2022 to include a focus on promoting safety at sea. One initiative under the new mandate is a review of how we oversee the Canadian commercial vessel fleet (which does not include pleasure craft) to improve safety. This review could lead to:

• finding new, more efficient ways of overseeing the fleet
• using risk-based assessments to prioritize inspections, and
• working more closely with partners inside and outside government, including Indigenous Peoples

Our current oversight program focuses on making sure that vessels comply with the regulations that apply to them. Regulatory requirements can be based on a vessel’s gross tonnage (a measure of a vessel’s internal volume) or length.

Our current approach to overseeing the safety of the domestic vessel fleet includes:

• delegating large vessel (24 metres and above) inspections to outside, non-governmental inspectors (through the Delegated Statutory Inspection Program)
• having Transport Canada Marine Safety Inspectors inspect smaller vessels (15 to 150 gross tonnage, and less than 24 metres long, and those that carry more than 12 passengers) on a set schedule, and
• having Transport Canada Marine Safety Inspectors complete risk-based inspections on a small percentage of small commercial vessels (15 gross tonnage or less, and if a passenger vessel, carrying 12 passengers or less) each year

Our oversight work sometimes involves issuing a safety certificate to a vessel, but many small vessels don’t need a certificate to operate (like those 15 gross tonnage or less, and if a passenger vessel, carrying 12 passengers or less).

The following table describes inspection activities for each size and type of vessel:

We’ve done a great job improving the safety of large vessels (24 metres and above). Third-party organizations, known as recognized organizations, have an agreement to inspect and certify these vessels on Transport Canada’s behalf. Large vessels enrolled in the Delegated Statutory Inspection Program are inspected by a recognized organization at least once a year. Transport Canada also does risk-based inspections on vessels enrolled in the program to confirm these third-party inspections.

Every year, Transport Canada’s Marine Safety Inspectors inspect and certify around 4,000 vessels above 15 gross tonnage and below 150 gross tonnage, and less than 24 metres in length. These inspections happen at least every year for passenger vessels and every 4 years for non-passenger vessels. More information on getting your 15 to 150 gross tonnage vessel inspected and certified.

Vessels 15 gross tonnage or less are subject to risk-based inspections. Risk-based inspections mean that inspectors visit a small percentage of these vessels each year, based on risks like their construction, use, area of operation, and other factors.

Of the 33,000 vessels of 15 gross tonnage or less registered in Canada, about 1,000 receive risk-based inspections each year. A Transport Canada inspection involves checking the condition of the vessel, the safety equipment and instructions, and the maintenance records, among other things.

Because of the large number of vessels of 15 gross tonnage and less (around 85% of the domestic commercial fleet), we’ve developed the Small Vessel Compliance Program to help owners:

• evaluate the safety of their small commercial vessels
• develop safety procedures, and
• comply with all applicable regulations

This gives small vessel owners the chance to get feedback and support from Transport Canada, as they may not interact with the department regularly. 

Given the size and scope of the Canadian fleet, we want Transport Canada’s inspections to target the areas of highest risk so that we can reduce the likelihood of small vessel incidents. This could mean using our resources to focus more on areas or vessel types with the highest levels of risk. 

We’re examining how we oversee small domestic commercial vessels (below 150 gross tonnage or less than 24 metres in length) including:

• passenger vessels
• fishing vessels, and
• non-passenger vessels (like tugs and workboats) 

We want to hear from you!

We want to hear how you think we could improve our domestic small vessel oversight system. Our goal is to make sure we use our resources in the best way to keep Canadians as safe as possible.

Our consultation will take place in phases. In this first phase, we’re looking for your feedback on how we can meet your oversight and safety expectations. 

Your feedback will be used alongside research on international practices, an internal Transport Canada review, and an examination of incident data, to help us develop options for a new approach to oversight.

Once we’ve developed these options, we will hold another online consultation and ask for your feedback. 

Join in: how to participate

Register online at Let’s Talk Transportation and share your comments on our discussion questions or upload a document through the Submissions tab.

Send us an email

Please email tc.opp2.0dvroreview-ppo2.0examendusrbc.tc@tc.gc.ca if you have any questions.

Key questions for discussion

• Considering Transport Canada’s current approach to overseeing small vessels, do you feel it does enough to address the risks that vessels can pose to people and the environment? Why or why not?
• What changes would you recommend to help improve how we oversee small vessel safety in Canada?

Related information

• Small Vessel Compliance Program
• Getting your 15 to 150 gross tonnage vessel inspected and certified (canada.ca)
• Plan approval and inspections for Canadian vessels subject to the Vessel Safety Certificates Regulations
• Delegated Statutory Inspection Program

Contact us

Transport Canada
Tower C, Place de Ville
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, ON K1A ON5
Email: tc.opp2.0dvroreview-ppo2.0examendusrbc.tc@tc.gc.ca