Pollution Prevention Officers

The Governor in Council may designate any person as a Pollution Prevention Officer under powers set out in the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act. Each Pollution Prevention Officer is given a certificate that specifies which powers they have and when exercising their powers, will show the certificate to any person in authority who is affected, when required.

A Pollution Prevention Officer may:

1. board any ship that is within a shipping safety control zone and conduct such inspections thereof as will enable the officer to determine whether the ship complies with standards prescribed by any regulations made under section 12 that are applicable to it within that shipping safety control zone;
    
2. order any ship that is in or near a shipping safety control zone to proceed outside the zone in such manner as the officer may direct, to remain outside the zone or to anchor in a place selected by the officer, if
    
   1. the officer suspects, on reasonable grounds, that the ship fails to comply with standards prescribed by any regulations made under section 12 that are or would be applicable to it within that shipping safety control zone,
       
   2. the ship is within the shipping safety control zone or is about to enter the zone in contravention of a regulation made under paragraph 12(1)(b) or (c), or
       
   3. the officer is satisfied, by reason of weather, visibility, ice or sea conditions, the condition of the ship or its equipment or the nature or condition of its cargo, that such an order is justified in the interests of safety; and
       
3. 
   where the officer is informed that a substantial quantity of waste has been deposited in the Arctic waters or has entered the Arctic waters or where, on reasonable grounds, the officer is satisfied that a grave and imminent danger of substantial deposit of waste in the Arctic waters exists,
    
   1. order all ships within a specified area of the Arctic waters to report their positions to the officer, and
       
   2. order any ship to take part in the clean-up of the waste or in any action to control or contain the waste.

The owner or person in charge of any area entered, the master of any ship boarded, and every person found in the area or on board the ship is required to give a Pollution Prevention Officer all reasonable assistance to enable the officer to carry out his/her duties, and will provide the officer with any information he/she may reasonably require.