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Transport Canada (TC)
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
Canadian Coast Guard (CCG)
Environment and Climate Change Canada
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Protecting Coasts and Waterways
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Pillar 1- Initiatives involved in enhancing the prevention of marine incidents include:
- New information-sharing systems - the Government of Canada will work with Indigenous and coastal communities to design new information-sharing systems and platforms so they have access to real-time information on marine shipping activities to support safer navigation in local waters.
- Pilot project to enhance marine weather services to support marine traffic operations and improve safety in higher-risk areas
- Proactive Vessel Management - allow those involved in the marine safety system – governments, communities, Indigenous groups – to inform local traffic management.
- Safer resupply in Arctic communities – funding new tools and equipment to unload essential goods in northern communities.
- Stronger polluter-pay principle – remove the per-incident limit of liability on Canada’s Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund to provide unlimited compensation to responders and victims of a ship-source oil spill.
- Places of refuge: Pre-identifying potential coastal locations where a ship in need of assistance can take action to stabilize the condition of the vessel in order to protect human life and the environment. The department is revising its National Places of Refuge Contingency Plan based on the results of engagement activities, research and the addition of new regional annexes.
- Anchorages Initiative - Research and analyze the environmental, economic, social, safety and security impacts of anchorages.
- Seamless Regime Response – develop a broad and integrated framework for preparedness and response to all spills beyond ship-source oil.
- Initiatives involved in strengthening of responses to marine incidents include:
- A stronger Canadian Coast Guard - The Canadian Coast Guard’s command systems will be strengthened where gaps have been identified. The Coast Guard will be given greater power to intervene directly to prevent marine incidents, such as where ship operators have been reluctant to act.
- Increased emergency response: establish 24/7 response capacity to effectively manage marine incidents; improve ocean and environmental modeling capacity; and collect baseline environmental data on B.C.’s North Coast.
- Enhance ECCC’s capacity to enforce wildlife and environmental laws for the east and west coasts.
- Increased towing capacity - towing kits will be added to major Canadian Coast Guard vessels on the East and West to improve the capability to take swift action. Two new vessels will be leased with the ability to tow large commercial ships in distress.
- Alternative response measures (ARMs) – research and policy on ARMs – such as dispersants and in-situ burning – work to support the legal and operational framework, supported by science, to allow the use of Alternative Response Measures.
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$1.1495B
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TC: $81.5M
DFO/CCG: $148.9M
ECCC: $13.8M
Total: $244.2M
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TC: $67.8M
DFO/CCG: $145.4M
ECCC: $13.1M
Total: $226.3M
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The number of marine safety incidents and spills from vessels in Canada’s waters
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By 2022, a reduction in the number of small oil spills and marine incidents relative to the number of vessel trips, compared with the average of the previous five years
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2022
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- Partnered with 13 Indigenous communities and organizations across Canada for a pilot project to test a new user-friendly, web-based system that increases access to a range of maritime information, including accurate near real-time marine traffic information. TC launched the Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness (EMSA) system in May 2019 to Indigenous pilot project partners and provided funding for project capacity, the purchase of equipment, infrastructure upgrades, and to further enhance the system. The EMSA system supports collaborative decision-making, planning and information sharing for improved maritime situational awareness and safety, marine monitoring and environmental protection and partners are regularly testing the system and collaborating with TC to prioritize improvements to ensure it meets varying community and user needs.
- The EMSA initiative is also an accommodation measure for the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) Pipeline project and a response to the Canada Energy Regulator report and condition for the pipeline. Five First Nations in the TMX Project areas are hosting a pilot project and access to the EMSA system has been offered to all First Nations along the TMX project route to help address concerns related to increased vessel traffic in local waters.
- TC established a working group with pilot project partners to co-develop recommendations for the future state of the system post-pilot project.
- TC is currently expanding the EMSA system user base to other marine partners (e.g. NGOs, academia, science organizations, other government departments, etc.) in order to support maritime awareness needs and seek perspectives on system functionality. Numerous demonstrations provided to internal and external groups in alignment with user expansion efforts.
- Announced new radar installations: the Oceans Protection Plan is funding 10 of the 11 new radars that will be located on the east and west coasts. These radars will establish network coverage for 9 separate navigation areas (6 on the west coast; 3 on the east coast) which will increase vessel traffic monitoring by providing timely information to CCG MCTS officers. New Radars contract was awarded to Felix Technology Inc. of Concord, Ontario in January 2020.
- Planned modernization of the operational network was substantially completed and a commercially available satellite communication technology was identified to provide acceptable voice communications performance. Pilot phase tests be completed next fiscal year. New Western microwave links were added to the operational network.
- Improving navigational information for the 23 key commercial ports being addressed under the Ocean Protection Plan involves completing the bathymetric survey (data collection) and then creating the charts and products for the port. When both the data collection and all of the charts and products for the port are created, the port is considered to be completed. As of March 31, 2020 the Canadian Hydrographic Service has completed the bathymetric survey of 21 of the 23 ports. Charts have been fully completed for 10 of the ports, are in progress for a further 8 ports, while the charts for the remaining 5 ports are scheduled for completion by March 31, 2022. Some ports have multiple charts so overall, 33 charts have been completed, 12 are in progress and 8 have not yet started. In the Arctic, targeted and opportunistic hydrographic surveys have been undertaken using Canadian Coast Guard vessels as well as contracted survey projects to the private sector. As of March 31, 2020, a total of 32.8% of the ocean floor areas within the Arctic's Primary and Secondary Low Impact Shipping Corridors have been surveyed to modern and adequate levels of hydrography.
- Deployed on the West Coast 1 meteorological buoy in Strait of Georgia and 1 buoy in English Bay and on the East Coast 1 buoy in the Bay of Fundy and 2 buoys in Chedabucto Bay. 10 minute observations of wind, waves and temperature and 24 hour hourly forecasts for these sites are available on the new Metport website. Feedback is being solicited from area users.
- Partnered with a number of Indigenous Nations and organizations in BC and the Arctic to launch five pilot projects for the Proactive Vessel Management (PVM) initiative. Through these projects, voluntary measures are being developed to address vessel traffic issues and conflicts through collaboration with the marine industry and other stakeholders. Lessons learned from the pilot projects will feed into the on-going co-development of a draft national PVM framework.
- Completed studies and continued research and analysis on anchorages. Continued engagement activities on anchorages with key stakeholders, including port and industry partners as well as Indigenous and coastal communities to define and gather feedback on the key challenges.
- Developed a national framework and a national engagement strategy for the enhanced Places of Refuge (POR) regime in Canada (including researching other international best practices).
- Amended the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, the Pilotage Act, and the Marine Liability Act to enhance marine safety and environmental protection, including: enabling more proactive, rapid, and effective environmental response by the Canadian Coast Guard; modernizing and strengthening Canada’s marine pilotage system through the implementation of the provisions in the amended Pilotage Act; and modernizing Canada’s Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund including enabling full compensation for responders and victims of ship-source oil spills.
- Enacted the new Arctic Shipping Safety and Pollution Prevention Regulations to address the unique hazard encountered by vessels that operate in the Arctic.
- Announced a contribution of $19.5 million to the Government of the Northwest Territories (first call-for-proposals) for four double-hulled barges, which will be used for community resupply in the Arctic.
- Announced a contribution of $4.7 million to the Government of Nunavut (first call-for-proposals) for a community scoping study as well as the installation of ten bollards in five of its communities, which will increase safety of resupply operations in the Arctic.
- Completed the second call-for-proposals targeted at the governments of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Katavik Regional Government representing the Nunavik Region, and the Nunatsiavut Government to improve the marine environment and the safety and efficiency of sealift and resupply operations in northern communities.
- Completed second season of search and rescue operations at the interim
- in-shore rescue boat station in Rankin Inlet in the Arctic (June - Sept, 2019).
- Across Canada, the Coast Guard employs post-secondary students to provide supplementary maritime search and rescue services during the busy summer season; in the North, the recruits are Indigenous students.
- Provided Incident Command System and TC Incident Management System training to program officers in Headquarters to enhance the effectiveness of response capacity
- Participated in and evaluated Canadian Coast Guard-led marine response exercises in the Pacific and Atlantic Regions to test environmental response capacity support and readiness
- Completed advanced version of new Standard Operating Procedures for marine incident management, including Environmental response
- Developed a Lessons-Learned dashboard to document previous and current major maritime incidents and prioritize improvements to Operating Procedures
- Reopened the Canadian Coast Guard’s Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland to better coordinate on-the-water responses to marine incidents.
- Opened new Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue stations in Victoria, British Columbia and St. Anthony, Old Perlican, and Twilingate, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Increased the staffing levels of trained and certified Officers at our Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) Centres contributing to the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal government’s response to marine emergencies, including marine pollution incidents, and the strategic management of all marine transportation-related emergencies. In addition, created four MCTS regional training officers that support the continuous training and certification of MCTS Officers, ensure national consistency and are key elements of the MCTS Quality Management System.
- The two leased offshore towing vessels, the Eagle and the Raven, continued operations off the coast of BC to assist in emergency towing.
- In support of a Seamless Response Regime, completed initial analysis and Phase I national engagement, with relevant federal partners across Canada, aimed at identifying and validating response actions to a non-ship source oil spill.
- Coast Guard successfully established 24/7 Regional Operations Centres (ROCs) in the Atlantic, Western, and Central and Arctic regions, as well as a 24/7 National Command Centre. These centres monitor and assess marine events, mainly marine pollution n incidents. All four Regional Operations Centres are currently providing continuous 24/7 operations. The development and roll-out of a national training program for ER coordinators within ROCs is underway: a prototype "Duty Officer" course was conducted in September 2019 and the first regional course with ROC personnel was conducted in November 2019.
- Acquired emergency tow kits for large Canadians Coast Guard vessels to strengthen our ability to tow large disabled vessels.
- Invested in new, modern environmental response equipment for the Canadian Coast Guard across Canada, and continued to take delivery of a variety of new equipment in all three regions. This new equipment includes curtain boom, high speed sweep systems and skimmers and fence boom system which form a temporary barrier to contain an oil spill, which all contribute to the recovery of a spill and helping reduce the spread of oil. Future procurements include Mobile Incident Command Posts, temporary storage devices such as barges and bladders and equipment trailers.
- Trained and deployed Emergencies Officers and Wildlife Emergency Response Coordinators to support emergency preparedness and response; and developed the National Policy on Wildlife Emergency Response in Canada
- Integrated newly acquired ecological datasets and spatial layers into emergency preparedness and response planning processes.
- Provided timely and relevant information to facilitate effective responses to marine environmental emergencies.
- Developed improved Canadian ocean, wave and ice forecasts, including innovative probabilistic predictions to support emergency spill responders
- Implemented high-resolution coastal forecasting systems for the East and West coasts of Canada, and developed a relocatable forecasting system to provide unprecedented detailed weather information that can be deployed to an area affected by an environmental emergency
- Collected baseline information on shorelines and marine birds, including: 16,000 km of coastal aerial imagery; more than 1,200 km of at-sea survey data; tagging of seven priority marine bird species on breeding colonies.
- Trained and deployed enforcement officers. Participated in INTERPOL’s Operation 30 Days at Sea, which provide a global framework to investigate marine pollution.
- Initiated the development of intelligence on the marine sector which will be incorporated into the ECCC database
- Prepared an update to the database of oil properties to inform spill response, pending final publication to the Government of Canada website
- Conducted 305.3 hours of aerial surveillance over waters under Canadian jurisdiction to monitor shipping activities in the Arctic by utilizing the Transport Canada’s National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP). There were 384 vessels overflown and zero ship source oil spills observed in this region.
- Completed the schematic designs for the NASP Complex (accommodations unit and hangar). Also, prepared the Request for Proposal of land remediation for Lot 512.
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Transport Canada
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Canadian Coast Guard
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Pillar 2 - Preservation and Restoration of Marine Ecosystems include:
- Collection of baseline data and cumulative effects assessment - working closely with Indigenous and coastal communities, the Government of Canada will create a pilot baseline program to better understand the cumulative effects of shipping on coastal ecosystems.
- Protect aquatic ecosystems - new measures will be funded that implement a real-time whale detection system to alert mariners to the presence of whales, which will help them avoid interactions and vessel strikes.
- Addressing abandoned vessels - The Government is implementing a national strategy that focuses on the prevention and removal of these problem vessels.
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$342.2M
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TC: $16.7M
DFO/CCG: $52.2M
Total: $68.9M
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TC: $14.2M
DFO/CCG: $55.3M
Total: $69.5M
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The number of abandoned and wrecked vessels addressed
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By 2022, at least 275 abandoned and wrecked vessels addressed
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2022
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- Amended the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to enhance safeguards to protect marine ecosystems, including marine mammals, from the impacts of shipping and navigation activities.
- All coastal detachments that include a fishery officer provided training and equipment to support experts in marine mammal response as of May, 2019.
- Received Royal Assent of the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, which will further protect Canadian coastlines and shorelines by strengthening owner responsibility and liability for their vessels particularly at end-of-life, while also enhancing federal powers to take actions on problem vessels as they arise.
- Preserving and restoring marine ecosystems by using new tools and research mechanisms, and by taking measures to address abandoned, hazardous and wrecked vessels, including:
- Assessing options to enhance the pleasure craft-licensing system to better identify ownership, and options to create a vessel-owner financed remediation Fund;
- Developing a national inventory of abandoned or wrecked vessels and a methodology for prioritizing these vessels for removal;
- Bringing the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act into force in July 2019. Over 130 vessels have been addressed using the new authorities under the Act
- Addressing to date an additional 61 vessels under the Small Craft Harbours Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program in partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans; and
- Taking continued measures to address abandoned, hazardous and wrecked vessels under the Abandoned Boats Program (ABP). We provided funding for an additional 22 projects to assess abandoned boats and 67 projects to remove abandoned boats.
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Percentage of projects funded through Coastal Restoration Fund contribution agreements leading to rehabilitation of aquatic habitats
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90% of projects funded through Coastal Restoration Fund contribution agreements lead to rehabilitation of aquatic habitats
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- Combined, these actions are helping to restore marine habitats and ecosystems in key strategic areas. Under the Oceans Protection Plan, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard we, have met our federal objective of addressing at least 275 abandoned and wrecked vessels by March 31, 2022, two years ahead of schedule.
- In addition, the Canadian Coast Guard continued to advance the national strategy on vessels of concern by continuing to update a national inventory of vessels of concern across Canada, and advanced the development of a Risk Assessment Methodology which provides a risk-based strategy to prioritize vessels in the national inventory to determine the scope and scale of the issue. Coast Guard transferred 150 vessels to Transport Canada from the national inventory. Vessels transferred were those that were determined to support the Abandoned Boats Program scope and mandate.
- To restore important coastal aquatic habitats on all Canadian coasts, DFO has allocated over $70 million in funding to 64 projects under the Coastal Restoration Fund. In March 2020, DFO announced the CRF’s support for 24 new projects, worth $13 million, of which 21 contribution agreements were signed in FY 2019-20. The project has expended all OPP available funding. Project activities are taking place on all three coasts.
- DFO allocated $55 million in funding under the Coastal Restoration Fund to protect and restore important marine ecosystems on all Canadian coasts.
- As well, DFO worked with Indigenous and coastal communities and other stakeholders to undertake 54 projects to collect coastal baseline information at six sites, including one in the Arctic.
- TC collaborated with Indigenous Nations to identify valued components for cumulative effects assessments in 4 pilot sites in the Cumulative Effects of Marine Shipping initiative.
- TC Initiated development of a draft national framework for cumulative effects assessments, after collaborating with Indigenous partners, academic experts and other stakeholders.
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Transport Canada
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Canadian Coast Guard
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Pillar 3 - Active role - the Government will create opportunities for Indigenous communities to participate and play an active role in responsible shipping and the marine safety regime
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$136.2M
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TC: $22.0M
DFO/CCG: $7.4M
Total: $29.4M
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TC: $14.7M
DFO/CCG: $10.5M
Total: $25.2M
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The number of Indigenous groups that participate in Canada’s marine safety system
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Specific target to be determined by April 2022 following engagement with Indigenous partners
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2027
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- Continuing to build regional Indigenous partnerships to address marine planning, shipping, marine safety and oceans protection over a large geographic area, through the Reconciliation Framework Agreement (RFA) for Bioregional Oceans Management and Protection which was announced on June 21, 2018. 14 Central and Northern British Columbia First Nations are participating in the Agreement (Pacific Region).
- Provided Marine Training Program funding to three schools to help underrepresented groups, such as women, Northerners, Inuit and Indigenous Peoples, access marine training.
- Issued a Call for Proposal and committed $5.8 million in funding to 21 projects under the Indigenous and Local Communities Engagement and Partnership Program, to support Indigenous and local communities’ participation in long-term work on Oceans Protection Plan initiatives.
- Announced $6.2 million in funding over three years to the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) to deliver a program to increase access to marine training courses for Indigenous communities.
- Provided emergency response and waterway management training to Indigenous communities in British Columbia to increase their knowledge and skills, and support the important role they play in marine safety in their communities.
- Coast Guard negotiated a number of contribution agreements with Indigenous communities and organizations to strengthen their ability to respond to local emergencies and better protect coastlines, including funding for: new marine liaison positions; specialized training and exercising; access to local marine traffic information; and, community boats to support local search and rescue and environmental response. Specifically, Coast Guard provided:
- $2,529,049 through 49 contribution agreements across the country as part of the Building Meaningful Partnerships with Indigenous Groups in Marine Safety (8T100) initiative under OPP;
- $2,724,116 to 10 communities from across the country to increase marine safety at the local level as part of the Indigenous Community
- Boat Program
- Identified 6 pilot sites and engaged communities and Indigenous nations across all sites to collaboratively understand issues and concerns with respect to marine vessel traffic activities on all three coasts, and worked to identify geographic boundaries for the study areas.
- As part of the Northern Low Impact Shipping Corridors Initiative, completed Phase I engagement with provincial, territorial and regional governments, and Inuit, Métis and First Nations organizations with a total of 16 sessions; Completed a study on governance models.
- Advanced the key elements and objectives identified in the OPP Commitment to Action and Results with the First Nations Fisheries Council (FNFC), signed in March 2019.
- A Collaborative Arrangement MOU between Coast Guard and Gitxaala was signed April 3, 2019. The objectives of this arrangement are to: help improve maritime SAR, ER, Marine Communications and Traffic Services, and Waterways management in the Northwest Coast; identify and deliver training to Gitxaala members; and, identify potential procurement and employment opportunities for Gitxaala members by and with Coast Guard.
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Transport Canada
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Canadian Coast Guard
Natural Resources Canada
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Pillar 4 - A Stronger Evidence Base and Increased Community Participation and Public Awareness
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$106.4M
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TC: $1.3M
DFO/CCG: $20.1M
NRCan: $1.2M
Total: $22.6M
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TC: $1.0M
DFO/CCG: $20.3M
NRCan: $1.23M
Total: $22.53
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The percent of policies and operational response plans developed through the OPP that are supported by scientific, local/traditional, and other relevant information and knowledge
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100% of policies and operational response plans are supported by scientific, local/traditional, and other relevant information/knowledge
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2022
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- Advancing knowledge and the scientific advice provided to oil spill responders to inform the response approach to a spill and the resulting decision-making
- For example, under the new OPP project, Improving Drift Prediction and Near-shore Modelling, the Government of Canada is in the process of developing and refining new high resolution hydrodynamic models for accurate prediction of ocean characteristics including surface currents, water level, temperature, and salinity within 6 high priority ports. These ocean models will allow the Government of Canada to accurately track spills and predict their path and fate, enhancing the protection of coastal communities.
- 47 publications on the fate, behaviour and effects of oil in marine ecosystems and oil spill clean-up technologies have been produced through OPP funded Contribution Programs.
- Continuing to address increased data processing requirements under OPP by investing in new IT services such as High-Performance Computing (HPC), which is used in the creation and analysis of complex scientific models used to help predict the future state of our oceans.
- Signed agreements with partners to develop and/or test technologies able to detect the presence of whales in near real-time, specifically the North Atlantic Right Whale and the Southern Resident Killer Whale.
- Continuing scientific research to better understand the impact of shipping-related noise on the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale, St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga and Southern Resident Killer Whale.
- Natural Resources Canada’s oil spill science program has progressed our understanding of oil fate and behavior as well as natural degradation pathways by developing new methodologies and conducting tests jointly with national and international partners. This knowledge helps improve spill response plans and policies in addition to informing stakeholder engagements. Examples include support for Transport Canada regulation development; technical support for federal Indigenous engagements; and support for Canada Energy Regulator pipeline reviews. Research information is also being used to provide advice to environmental assessment reviews of East Coast offshore petroleum production projects and international organizations such as the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Transport Canada
Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Canadian Coast Guard
Natural Resources Canada
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Pillar 4 - A Stronger Evidence Base and Increased Community Participation and Public Awareness
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The percentage of Canadians who are confident in Canada’s marine safety system
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By 2022, at least 70% of Canadians and at least 75% of coastal communities have moderate or fully confidence in Canada’s marine safety system
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2022
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- Continuing to raise awareness about the Oceans Protection Plan and marine safety, including engaging and receiving ongoing input from Canadians.
- As of July 15, 2020, OPP has held more than 1169 meetings and workshops have been held across Canada to raise awareness and receive input on the program, this includes 837 engagement sessions/workshops which have been held with multiple Indigenous groups.
- A Clear Seas/Angus Reid public opinion poll in early 2020 found that there has been a marginal upward shift in coastal communities’ confidence in the marine shipping regime and a downward shift in confidence on the part of Indigenous communities.
- Transport Canada’s OPP Dialogue Forum took place in January 2020 in Vancouver. It was the seventh dialogue forum held since 2017 and was the largest to date with 200 registrants. Forum participants were largely external to federal government, with 115 representing 85 organizations. These included ENGOs, local government, marine and shipping industry. 16 OPP and marine initiatives were featured, with federal department representatives providing updates and engaging with stakeholders. The Forums have evolved as multi-sector, whole of government anchor events for engagement on OPP and marine safety and environment initiatives, and have been very successful to date in providing information and updates, and soliciting feedback from stakeholders.
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