Oceans Protection Plan potential legislative changes

The goal of the Oceans Protection Plan is to protect Canada’s coasts and waterways for generations to come, and to promote safe and responsible shipping.

The Government of Canada is considering legislative changes that will improve marine safety and environmental protection in our waters. Highlights include:

Better protect marine ecosystems

• Strengthen regulatory safeguards and enable immediate Ministerial directions to be given to prevent or lessen the environmental impacts of shipping and navigation
• Ensure there are effective monetary penalties for non-compliance with shipping regulations and standards

Modernize Canada’s Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund

• Remove limits on per-incident compensation from this fund.
• Ensure adequate funding by industry
• Make it quicker and easier for oil spill responders to access compensation from the fund

Strengthen environmental response

• Clarify the Canadian Coast Guard’s authority to take early action to prevent a pollution incident from happening or getting worse
• Allow the careful use of Alternative Response Measures, in addition to conventional techniques, to more effectively clean up oil spills in water

Support research and innovation

• Allow controlled research and testing of substances, equipment and techniques in real-world conditions, which will:
  • enhance safety and environmental protection
  • support decision-making

For more information on the potential legislative changes, please refer to the related discussion paper: Strengthening Marine Environmental Protection and Response: Potential Legislative Amendments.

We are seeking written feedback from all Canadians on the direction of the potential legislative changes.

We will use the comments we receive to support future government discussions on the potential legislative changes. You may share your views at: TC.OPPLegis-LegisPPO.TC@tc.gc.ca.

We consider the participation and collaboration as essential to the success of the Oceans Protection Plan. As such, funding to support the participation of Indigenous peoples, local communities, and not-for-profit organizations in the Oceans Protection Plan is available through the Community Participation Funding Program (CPFP). If you require support to participate, please submit your application as soon as possible as costs cannot be incurred before receiving an approval from Transport Canada. For this activity, expenses of up to $1,500.00 for single communities and $5,000.00 for aggregates/organizations representing others are eligible until October 26th, 2018. For questions related to the CPFP or help with the process, please contact the Program at tc.cpfp-pfpc.tc@tc.gc.ca.