Arctic Shipping
Depending on the activity in which they are engaged, ships will generate certain impacts on the environment. These impacts can occur through normal operations and may persist only as long as the ship is in that location; or, in some cases, will persist after the ship is gone. Some impacts result from incorrect or abnormal operations that can be either accidental or deliberate.
Restrictions on pollution in Canadian Arctic waters and the minimum requirements for pollution prevention are set out in the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act (AWPPA) and its supporting regulations, including the Arctic Shipping Pollution Prevention Regulations and the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Regulations. Provisions of the principal Canadian legal framework for the management of marine pollution elsewhere in Canada, the Canada Shipping Act 2001 and the Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals, in particular the maximum penalties for offences, may also be applied.
Pollution Prevention in the Canadian Arctic
Specific Environmental Impacts and Associated Regulating Mechanisms
The following are different environmental impacts of particular concern that can result from a ships operation or presence. These different types of impacts are addressed within Canada and internationally through various mechanisms. To learn more, click on the specific impact.
