Enrolment of Vessels in the Small Vessel Compliance Program (SVCP)

1 Process Flowchart

 

2 Purpose

2.1 This procedure aims to establish the process for enrolling vessels in the Small Vessel Compliance Program (SVCP). It updates the Procedure of Enrolment of Vessels in the Small Vessel Compliance Program (SVCP) issued on June 1, 2012.

2.2 This procedure aims to ensure nationally consistent and transparent program enrolment activities.

3 Authority

3.1 The Director General, Marine Safety and Security has overall administrative authority.

3.2 The Marine Safety and Security Executive Committee has approved this procedure for general application.

3.3 The Executive Director, Domestic Vessel Regulatory Oversight is the functional authority.

3.4 The Manager, Flag State, Compliance and Enforcement is the national Office of Primary Interest (OPI).

4 Scope

4.1 This procedure applies to non-pleasure workboats and passenger vessels not more than 15 gross tonnage, carrying not more than 12 passengers.

4.2 This procedure applies to small fishing vessels not more than 15 gross tonnage, used for commercial fishing.

4.3 This policy applies to recreational boating schools that have chosen to adopt the alternative compliance provisions of the Small Vessel Compliance Program Recreational Boating Schools policy (RDIMS# 1280476) and TP 15136 for vessels:

• not larger than 15 metres,
• carrying no more than 12 students and
• engaged on:
  • a sheltered waters voyage or
  • a near coastal voyage class 2, or
  • a limited contiguous waters voyage.

4.4 This procedure does not apply to:

• Pleasure craft
• Tugs
• Small special-purpose vessels

5 Responsibility

5.1 Flag State, Compliance & Enforcement is the group accountable for developing, carrying out, updating and continuously improving this procedure.

5.2 The Regional Directors, Marine Safety and Security, will conduct the activities that support this procedure in line with approved business practices and performance targets.

5.3 Each Regional Director, Marine Safety and Security, will assign an employee to act as the local OPI for the SVCP in their region.

5.4 The Regional Directors, Marine Safety and Security, will give subject matter input and feedback to the functional authority as needed.

5.5 The Regional Directors, Marine Safety and Security will develop and manage the program framework needed to support this procedure. This may include, but not be limited to work instructions, education and awareness material, checklist tools, guidance documents, databases and systems.

5.6 The Regional Directors, Marine Safety and Security will provide oversight of the program, performance monitoring and report at the national level.

5.7 The Regional Directors, Marine Safety and Security will help ensure effective communications with and amongst the Regions.

5.8 Please address your questions or comments to:

Director, Domestic Vessel Regulatory Oversight
(AMSD)
Transport Canada, Marine Safety and Security
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0N8
1-855-859-3123 (Toll Free)
insp.stand-norm.insp@tc.gc.ca

6 Procedure

6.1 Enrolment Application:

6.1.1 Vessel owner or authorised representative will:

• Complete the Detailed Compliance Report form for workboats & passenger vessels or the Detailed Compliance Report form for small fishing vessels as appropriate;
• Attach to the form the specified supporting documents; and
• Submit the form and documents to Transport Canada Marine Safety and Security (TCMSS).

6.1.2 We strongly encourage vessel owners or authorised representatives to use the online application process at the following link “SVCP Online Application”. It is the most convenient way to complete the enrolment application and for TCMSS to process it.

Note: Owners or authorised representatives may choose to submit hardcopy applications to their nearest TCMSS office.

6.1.3 TP 15356 (for small fishing vessels) or TP 15111 (for workboats and passenger vessels) provide guidance.

6.2 Administrative Review

6.2.1 TCMSS will conduct an administrative review of the enrolment applications it receives via the SVCP system. This involves verifying that all required fields are filled out and the supporting documents are attached.

6.2.2 For applications received in hardcopy, TCMSS will first have to manually input the information in the SVCP system before it conducts the administrative review.

6.2.3 If TCMSS deems the application is complete, it will advance the application for technical review by a Marine Safety Inspector (MSI).

6.2.4 If the application is not complete, TCMSS will note the additional information required in the SVCP system and send a letter to the vessel owner or authorized representative requesting the information. TCMSS will save the letter in the Records Documents and Information Management System (RDIMS) as per established work instructions.

6.2.5 When it receives the information it requested, TCMSS will update the application and advance the application for technical review. TCMSS will save the response from the vessel owner or Authorized Representative in RDIMS as per established work instructions.

6.3 Technical Review

6.3.1 An MSI will conduct a technical review of the enrolment applications once the administrative review is deemed complete. This involves verifying the information in the application makes sense from a compliance point of view. This means the answers to the questions and supporting documentation aligns with the vessel characteristics and type of operation information provided in the application.

6.3.2 Upon successful technical review, the MSI will complete the vessel risk profile in the SVCP system and input either an “Approved” decision or “Conditionally Approved” decision and advance the application for final processing. The decision will be “Conditionally Approved” only if the vessel’s registration is pending. TCMSS will update the decision to “Approved” once the vessel owner or authorized representative provides the registration number.

6.3.3 In case of an unsuccessful technical review or an incomplete application, TCMSS will contact the owner or authorized representative and advise them of the findings and request further clarification.

6.4 Final Processing

6.4.1 Upon approval of the application, TCMSS will issue a “Letter of Confirmation of Participation” and send the letter and decal sticker to the vessel owner/operator or authorized representative (AR).

6.4.2 For “Conditionally Approved” applications, TCMSS will use the SVCP system to issue a “Letter of Conditional Participation” and send it to the vessel owner/operator or authorized representative (AR).

6.4.3 When TCMSS receives the registry information and updates the decision to “Approved”, the owner/operator or Authorized Representative will receive a “Letter of Confirmation of Participation” and a decal sticker.

Note: The date on the Letter of Confirmation of Participation (Approved) must be the same issuance date that appears on the initial Letter of Participation (Conditionally Approved).

6.4.4 TCMSS will save the letters in (RDIMS) as per established work instructions.

6.4.5 Vessel owners/operators or authorised representative must notify TCMSS if they sell their vessel within the five-year period so TCMSS can close the enrolment file.

6.5 Recreational boating school (RBS)

6.5.1 Shall follow the enrolment procedure as described in the TIER II- Procedure -Small Vessel Compliance Program – Enrolment of Recreational Boating Schools (RDIMS# 1873517).

6.6 Validity Period

6.6.1 SVCP enrolment is valid for five (5) years as per the date of the Letter of Confirmation of Participation.

6.6.2 Each year on the anniversary of the issue date of the Decal, an Annual Compliance Report (ACR) must be completed and copies of which the AR /owner should keep on board the enrolled vessel.

6.7 Renewal ***Temporary Process***

6.7.1 AR /owner wishing to continue the enrollment of their vessel in the SVCP must submit a duly-completed ACR to TCMSS prior to the expiration of the Decal.

6.7.2 The Decal will be eligible for renewal if:

• the answer is «NO» to the questions within the upper part of the ACR; and
• the answer is «YES» to all the sections that are applicable to your vessel in the lower part of the ACR.

6.7.3 When the MSI receives the duly completed ACR, he or she will assign a new decal to the AR and send a new Letter of Participation. The MSI will save all documents (email, completed form, etc.) related to renewals under the RDIMS file for that vessel.

6.8 Service Standards

6.8.1 TCMSS will process an SVCP enrolment within 45 working days of receiving a complete application form.

6.8.2 Time against the service standard is on hold during those periods when TCMSS has requested and is waiting for additional information from vessel owners or authorized representatives.

7 Related Documents

7.1 Canada Shipping Act, 2001

7.2 Small Vessel Regulations

7.3 Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations

7.4 Policy – Small Vessel Compliance Program (RDIMS#12306851)

7.5 Policy – Oversight of Small Non-pleasure vessels (RDIMS#12307732)

7.6 Policy- Small Vessel Compliance Program-Recreational Boating School

(RDIMS# 1280476)

7.7 Procedure -Small Vessel Compliance Program – Enrolment of Recreational Boating Schools (RDIMS# 1873517)

7.8 Procedure - Inspection of Non-pleasure vessels Enrolled in the Small Vessel Compliance Program (RDIMS#12322365)

7.9 Procedure - Inspection of Non-pleasure vessels not Enrolled in the Small Vessel Compliance Program (RDIMS#11261488)

8 Date of Application

8.1 This procedure takes effect on July 13, 2017.

9 Date of review

8.1 TCMSS will review this procedure 12 months after its release.

10 RDIMS Reference

10.1 The English version of this document is saved in RDIMS under reference number 12309821. The applied naming convention is Publication – TP13585 – Procedure - Enrolment of vessels in the Small Vessel Compliance Program.

10.2 La version française du présent document est dans le SGDDI et porte le numéro de référence 12830737.La règle d’affectation des noms est Publication – TP13585 – Procédure – Inscription des bâtiments au Programme de conformité des petits bâtiments.

10.3 The previous English version of this document is saved in RDIMS under reference number 6064965.

11 Keywords

• Small Vessel Compliance Program
• Small Non-pleasure vessel
• Decal
• Letter of Participation
• Small fishing vessel
• Workboat
• Small passenger Vessel
• Recreational boating school (RBS)