Let’s Talk: Modernizing the Domestic Ferries Security Regulations

The Domestic Ferries Security Regulations is one of the tools Transport Canada uses to keep Canada’s marine transportation system secure.

The regulation helps to manage the risks to domestic ferry services in regions where losing ferry service would have a major impact.

The regulation helps to secure ferry service by making sure that regulated ferries and ferry facilities:

• use security assessments to identify security risks
• create security plans that address risks and set operating procedures for each MARSEC (marine security) level
• develop security procedures to address security threats, breaches, and security incidents for each MARSEC (marine security) level
• create security procedures and make it clear that ferry operators or their security officers must undertake and oversee specific security requirements, and
• create restricted areas as needed, and control access to these areas

The changes Transport Canada is proposing

While the regulations were last updated in 2014, they haven’t been modernized or seen major changes since they came into force in 2009.

We want to modernize Canada’s regulations to make sure that the marine transportation security framework (system of laws that keeps marine transportation in Canada safe) continues to be appropriate, effective, and can respond to modern threats and risks to the marine transportation system.

We want to change the Domestic Ferries Security Regulations to:

• improve the security of domestic ferries and ferry facilities
• make sure the existing regulations are appropriate and effective
• make Canada’s marine security framework more flexible
• improve Transport Canada’s ability to protect and support the marine transportation system, and
• update enforcement rules to ensure ferry operators and ferry facilities to comply with the regulations

We also want to deal with areas that the existing regulations don’t address, such as:

• adding new domestic ferries and domestic ferry facilities operations to the regulations
• adding administrative monetary penalties (fines) for contravening the regulations
• making the regulations more usable by clarifying:
  • security training requirements
  • inspection requirements, including intermediate inspections for vessels and facilities
  • requirements for restricted areas
  • roles and requirements for documenting security procedures
• bringing the regulations in line with the Marine Transportation Security Regulations and the Marine Transportation Security Act
• making other minor changes like clarifying some terms, correcting translation errors and removing sections that have expired or are no longer valid

We want to hear from you

1. Complete the domestic ferries security survey
2. Choose “Register” at the top of the page, and join the discussion under the “Have Your Say” tab
3. You can also submit your comments in a Word or PDF document through the “Submissions” tab. You can upload more than one document

We appreciate any information or comments you submit. Your feedback will help us write the proposal’s drafting instructions and develop the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS).

Once the comment period closes, we will publish a “What we heard report” online.