Latest Developments

St. Lawrence Seaway

Transport Canada continues to focus on making sure the St. Lawrence Seaway stays a competitive and sustainable transportation corridor that continues to offer economic opportunities for Canada, seaway users, and all Canadians.

Port modernization review/Bill C-33

The Minister of Transport introduced Bill C-33, Strengthening the Port System and Railway Safety in Canada Act, on November 17, 2022. The proposed legislative changes will allow Canadian Port Authorities to better respond to increasingly complex economic, social, and environmental operating environments and stay competitive, efficient, and sustainable. Bill C-33 is currently moving through Parliament.

Bill C-52

The Minister of Transport introduced Bill C-52, Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in the Transportation System Act, on June 20, 2023. Part III of the bill would introduce updates to the Canada Marine Act that would improve transparency and accountability for Canada Port Authorities.

In 2023, Transport Canada continued work on the Domestic Vessel Regulatory Oversight Initiative, which is conducting a holistic review of the program and introducing a risk-based oversight model that will incorporate best practices, technology, and align with current government priorities. This work began in 2022 and will continue through to 2027.

We also made good progress on implementing online services. Not only did Transport Canada launch a secure validation website that enabled digital certificates for the marine insurance program, but we also onboarded Medical Examiners to a new online medical hub allowing marine medical reports to be issued digitally. By adopting these new digital methods, Transport Canada was able to offer better service delivery and program integrity to marine stakeholders.

Regulations

On June 23, 2023, Transport Canada announced enhanced mandatory environmental measures for cruise ships to address discharges of greywater and sewage within Canada’s territorial waters. These measures are enforced under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and provide stronger protection to Canada’s oceans and marine ecosystems.

In addition, 3 proposals for regulatory amendments were pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I:

• Regulations Amending the Small Vessel Regulations (Pleasure Craft Licensing)
• Regulations Amending the Administrative Monetary Penalties and Notices (CSA 2001) Regulations, and
• the Regulations Amending the Marine Safety Fees Regulations (Vessel Registry Fees)

Two regulations were also published in the Canada Gazette, Part II:

• the Vessel Construction and Equipment Regulations, and
• Regulations Amending the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations

Furthermore, we held online consultations in fall 2023 on approaches to modernizing the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR). We asked for feedback on how local authorities could have more of a direct role in identifying safety and environmental issues on local waterways and putting restrictions in place to address these issues, along with any other potential issues not currently being addressed by the regulations. Results from the consultations will be used to inform upcoming amendments.

Seafarer credentials & fatigue management

In 2023, Transport Canada continued addressing the shortage of seafarers in Canada by streamlining the recognition of seafarer credentials and signing further reciprocal arrangements with the United Kingdom, the Republic of the Philippines, Jamaica, and the Republic of Panama.

Work also continued to address fatigue management in the marine sector. In August 2023, following an assessment of the issues identified by the Transportation Safety Board and consultations with industry and stakeholders, we finalized a report that proposed options to better manage fatigue in the marine sector. In November 2023, this report was delivered and presented at the Standing Committee on Personnel at the Canadian Marine Advisory Council.

Security administration

In 2023, Transport Canada engaged with marine facility operators to discuss the use of ship-to-shore cranes, facilitating an improved mutual understanding of potential cyber security risks and vulnerabilities, and mitigation measures. We also continued to work closely with other federal agencies to administer the Marine Enforcement Plan for the Special Economic Measures Regulations (Russia).

International Maritime Organization

In December 2023, Canada was re-elected by all International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member States to serve on the Council of the International Maritime Organization for the 2024-2025 term. Throughout 2023, Canada worked with other IMO Member States to advance safety, security, and environmental initiatives, including:

• the IMO’s new GHG emission strategy adopted in July 2023
• measures to address underwater noise
• ship design and construction standards, and
• incorporating new technologies in the regulatory framework

Canada’s continued leadership at the IMO was shown by chairing correspondence groups and committees, including serving as Chair of a working group for IMO Assembly, the IMO’s highest governing body.

Canada continued to support the IMO in the creation of an international regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair, effective, and universally implemented, by being an active member in auditing and evaluating other Member States.

Canada has more coastline than any other country. Canada’s marine transportation system connects us with the world – fundamentally underpinning the supply chain. As the world recovers from COVID-19, marine transportation is resurging, creating an urgent need to mitigate impacts, while ensuring supply chain resiliency. Currently, the marine sector is the most efficient mode of moving goods in terms of greenhouse gas emissions per tonne/KM. However, more must be done to make this sector even more efficient as we strive towards zero emissions by 2050.

Public consultations were launched on the draft Voluntary Guidance for Relevant Authorities on In-Water Cleaning of Vessels. The voluntary guidance clarifies the recommended best practices that stakeholders can use to manage the risks of cleaning vessels in-water.

Building off momentum where Canada signed the Clydebank Declaration at the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the release of the Canadian Green Shipping Corridors Framework at COP 27, Transport Canada launched our Green Shipping Corridor Program at COP 28, in December 2023.

The program, announced in the 2023 federal budget, will:

• help develop green shipping corridors
• spur the launch of next generation clean ships
• support deployment of green technology at ports, and
• help Canadian ports attract low- or zero-emission and low-noise vessels

Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation also continue to advance the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway System Green Shipping Corridors Network Initiative. Through this initiative, Canada and the United States are working together to establish green corridors in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, including by convening stakeholders and supporting assessments and analyses in the region. This initiative sets out shared commitments by both Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation to support the development of green transport infrastructure along the border. This includes managing the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway for maritime navigation, and work to advance cleaner, sustainable, and renewable fuels for shipping.

Also at COP 28, Canada launched a multi-port and multi-jurisdictional Memorandum of Understanding with more than 10 private sector entities to explore opportunities to develop a green shipping corridor from Canada’s west coast to ports in Asia and the Middle East.

In July 2023, Canada joined more that 150 other countries to endorse the adoption of a new International Maritime Organization Greenhouse Gas Strategy, which includes a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping around 2050, as well as indicative checkpoints for 2030 and 2040 that are close to the Paris Agreement.

The Strategy also calls for new regulatory measures, including a goal-based marine fuel standard and a maritime GHG pollution pricing mechanism, for adoption in 2025. Transport Canada will continue to work with all maritime countries, the marine industry, and domestic partners to develop ambitious and feasible new measures.

Transport Canada is also moving to designate an Emissions Control Area (ECA) in Canadian Arctic waters to reduce emissions of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from the marine sector, consistent with air pollution standards already in place across North America.

Launched in 2016 and renewed in 2022, the Oceans Protection Plan continues to improve Canada’s marine safety and environmental protection system. The plan supports proactive approaches to marine safety and ocean stewardship, while also improving capacity to respond to marine incidents.

Further improving marine safety

In 2023, several statutes were amended to strengthen marine safety, environmental protection, liability and compensation. The Canada Shipping Act, 2001 was amended to improve how marine emergencies are managed, cover more types of pollutants (like hazardous and noxious substances) in addition to oil, and strengthen compliance and enforcement.

The Marine Liability Act was amended to improve the compensation available and expand the amount for future losses after an oil spill for all types of harvesting such as fishing, hunting, and gathering. The Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act was amended to enable the establishment of a Vessel Remediation Fund to finance activities that will assess, address, and prevent problem vessels from becoming hazards to navigation and local marine environments.

The Administrative Monetary Penalties and Notices (CSA 2001) Regulations were also amended to strengthen compliance with and enforcement of marine safety and environmental protection regulations.

In 2023, Transport Canada continued to deliver training sessions in Northern communities for the Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness (EMSA) system, which is a user-friendly web-based software platform that provides near real-time information. The system is used by Indigenous peoples, coastal communities, and other participants in the marine safety system and is being adopted by industry stakeholders to provide valuable information on vessel traffic, weather and tidal data, and potential pollution events. The system has more than 900 total users, and to date, 90 individual Indigenous communities across Canada benefit from and contribute to the system.

Transport Canada is also improving infrastructure in the Arctic with the addition of the new Aircraft Services Directorate’s base in Iqaluit, NU. This new hangar will be used as a base of operations for the National Aerial Surveillance Program (NASP) and will support the NASP team in operating in the Arctic by extending their flying season, allowing the program to operate year-round, as needed. This is making shipping safer, increasing protection for marine species and ecosystems, and improving how we prevent and respond to marine incidents. This hangar was funded through Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan.

Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems

In 2023, Transport Canada continued to take measures to address abandoned, hazardous, and wrecked vessels in Canada’s waterways. We addressed 184 wrecked or abandoned vessels in 2023, removing them from the waterway or otherwise mitigating damage to the ecosystem.

In December, $10.9 million was committed through the Ballast Water Innovation Program to support industry-led projects that address challenges with the installation, operation and maintenance of ballast water technology utilized in the Great Lakes to reduce the risk of the introduction or spread of invasive aquatic species. Transport Canada also advanced work related to research on the cumulative effects of marine shipping, building an understanding of how best to protect, restore or mitigate negative impacts of marine vessel traffic on marine ecosystems.

Advancing Indigenous partnerships and engaging Canadians

Making sure that Indigenous peoples can meaningfully participate in the marine safety system is a key part of the Oceans Protection Plan. In 2023, the plan took major steps to foster meaningful participation of Indigenous peoples in the marine safety system. Efforts included establishing the Regulatory Roundtable Initiative to deepen collaboration and support an inclusive regulatory development process. Continued collaboration with Pacific North Coast and Central Coast Nations through Reconciliation Framework Agreements further underscored the commitment to ocean management and protection.

We also made progress on the plan’s Commitment to Action and Results with the First Nations Fisheries Council of British Columbia by strengthening partnerships in fisheries management. Regional Marine Dialogue Forums provided local engagement opportunities, fostering bilateral collaboration on marine issues. Lastly, the Salish Sea Symposium convened over 500 attendees facilitating dialogue on marine safety and environmental stewardship.

In 2023, Transport Canada continued to take action under a renewed Whales Initiative to limit the impacts of increasing vessel traffic on at-risk whale populations, complementing efforts from other federal departments to address threats to marine mammals. Our efforts included both immediate vessel management measures to redirect or slow vessels in whale habitat as well as work on longer-term solutions relating to underwater radiated noise from vessels.

Southern resident killer whales

For a fifth year, Transport Canada put in place measures to protect Southern Resident killer whales, including limits on approaching killer whales, creating interim sanctuary zones and seasonal slowdown areas to reduce acoustic and physical disturbance from vessels on Southern Resident killer whales.

Under the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program, we implemented an inshore lateral displacement in the Strait of Juan de Fuca where vessels are asked to move south when transiting the known feeding area and vessel slowdowns in Haro Strait, Boundary Pass and at Swiftsure Bank.

North Atlantic right whales

Transport Canada has been implementing mandatory and voluntary vessel traffic management measures in the Gulf of St. Lawrence for the last 7 years to reduce the risk of ship strikes on the North Atlantic right whale, while balancing the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. In 2023, measures were in place from April 19 to November 15. The mandatory speed restrictions have proven very effective, with a 99% compliance rate.

Transport Canada was heavily involved in monitoring right whales in the Gulf through its National Aerial Surveillance Program aircraft as well as using acoustic underwater gliders. Drones and infrared camera technologies were also tested.

Underwater vessel noise management plans (UVNMPs)

Nationally, Transport Canada completed the coordination of an Underwater Vessel Noise Reduction Target Advisory Committee and started addressing the recommendations from the Committee, including two technical contracts to further inform the development of a policy on UVNMPs.

International Maritime Organization

Canada continued our work at the IMO to promote long-term action and initiatives on underwater vessel noise. With support from other IMO member states and organisations, Transport Canada led the work that culminated in the adoption of the Revised Guidelines for the reduction of underwater radiated noise from shipping to address adverse impacts on marine life in July of 2023.

We also pursued the coordination of the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) Correspondence Group for a second year, focusing on identifying next steps, including developing an IMO Underwater Radiated Noise Action Plan.