Works in navigable waters listed in the Schedule
Owners of works in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water that is listed in the Schedule of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act and may interfere with navigation, must apply to Transport Canada. You may use the Project Review Tool to help determine if an application for approval with the Navigation Protection Program is required.
Scheduled navigable waters are those listed in the Schedule of the Act. Scheduled waterways are usually Canada’s busiest waterways. They can be accessible by ports and marinas and are often close to highly populated areas. Non-scheduled navigable waters are all the other navigable waters not listed.
Owners of works (that are not a major or minor work) in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water that is listed in the Schedule, can proceed if:
- the work, or its construction, placement, alteration, rebuilding, removal or decommissioning, would not interfere with navigation, and
- the owner submits information and publishes a public notice before starting to construct, place, alter, rebuild, remove or decommission the work.
Works in navigable waters not listed in the Schedule
Some navigable waters aren’t listed in the Schedule of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act.
Owners of works that are not major or minor works in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water that is not listed in the Schedule, that may interfere with navigation, can:
- apply for an approval of works - would include a cost as applicable under the Canadian Navigable Waters Act Fees Regulation, and may potentially require parallel review processes such as Indigenous consultations and environmental review;
- proceed through the public resolution process, unless the work would extinguish navigation.
Owners of works in, on, over, under, through or across any navigable water that is not listed in the Schedule, can proceed if:
- the work, or its construction, placement, alteration, rebuilding, removal or decommissioning, would not interfere with navigation, and
- the owner submits information and publishes a public notice before starting to construct, place, alter, rebuild, remove or decommission the work.