If you think you’ve found an abandoned, wrecked, or hazardous boat in Canadian waters, here’s who to contact:
- Immediate danger? Call 911
- Possible pollution or public-health risk? Contact the Canadian Coast Guard
- Hazard to navigation or you want to salvage a wreck? Contact Transport Canada
Do not touch, move, or board the boat. Contact the authorities below depending on the situation.
On this page
- Who to contact
- Information to have when you report
- What happens after you report an abandoned boat or wreck?
Who to contact
If the boat is an immediate danger or serious threat to public safety
Contact 911 or local police if the boat or wreck:
- is on fire or could explode
- you see suspicious activity
- poses an immediate danger to people nearby
If the boat is a risk to the environment or public health
Do not touch the boat. Contact the Canadian Coast Guard if the boat or wreck:
- could pollute the water
- poses a risk to community health
- looks abandoned
- is damaged, sinking, or falling apart
- has been left in the same place for a long time
- appears to be a military or heritage wreck
Call the Canadian Coast Guard (available 24/7)
Select your region:
- Atlantic (NB, PEI, NL, NS): 1-800-565-1633
- Central (ON, QC): 1-800-363-4735
- Western (BC, AB, SK, MB, YT, NT): 1-800-889-8852
- Nunavut: 1-867-979-5269
If the boat is a hazard to navigation
Do not touch the boat. Contact Transport Canada’s Navigation Protection Program if the boat or wreck:
- blocks navigation (if the situation is urgent, call the Canadian Coast Guard’s 24-hour emergency line)
- makes boating unsafe
- is one you want to import, salvage, take possession of, or report
Call: 1-833-351-4828
Information to have when you report
If it’s safe, try collecting the following information, which can help authorities respond quicker:
- location (GPS coordinates or a detailed description)
- photos of the boat
- description of the boat (size, colour, name, registration number)
- signs of pollution (leaking fuel or oil)
- possible owner information, if known
Do not put yourself at risk collecting this information.
What happens after you report an abandoned boat or wreck?
Authorities will assess the situation and decide how to deal with it. This may include:
- identifying and contacting the owner
- forcing the owner to repair, remove, or dispose of the boat
- taking action if the vessel poses a hazard to navigation or the environment
Under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act (WAHVA), boat owners must take care of their boats and properly dispose of them at the end of their life.