Proposed changes to the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020
The Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020 help improve maritime safety, protect the marine environment, and make vessel operations more efficient in Canadian waters through marine navigation and marine radiocommunication requirements.
Transport Canada is proposing changes to parts of the Navigation Safety Regulations that deal with:
- search and rescue co-operation plans
- newly registered vessels
- automatic identification systems (AIS)
- lost containers
- fines
- VDRs and electronic inclinometers
- old agreements that have been cancelled
As part of our commitment to improving marine safety and protecting the environment, Transport Canada wants to know how effective you think the existing regulations are, and how the proposed changes could impact safety. By participating, you’ll help us find things that need to be improved, and help us make sure that the regulations meet the needs of the maritime community.
The changes we’re proposing are explained below.
Electronic charts
We want to allow electronic chart systems (ECSs) to be used instead of an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) and paper nautical charts on vessels that are less than 500 gross tonnage.
Under this proposal, ECSs would need to meet specific technical standards that are still being developed. For example, the system may need to have a backup, a certain sized screen, or be compatible with S-57 ENCs.
This change would help us modernize marine navigation and give smaller vessels more flexibility and lower costs without compromising navigational safety. These changes also align with the Canadian Hydrographic Service’s Digital Transformation Initiative.
Search and rescue co-operation plans
We want to expand and clarify the requirements for carrying a Search and Rescue (SAR) Co-Operation Plan. Currently, this requirement only applies to vessels on an international voyage. We want to expand the requirement to all Canadian passenger vessels of 150 gross tonnage or more that are operating outside of sheltered waters in the Great Lakes and on the sea coasts of Canada.
This change would align Canada’s rules with international rules (Chapter V, Regulation 7 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea). It would also help improve passenger safety and help vessels better prepare for, and coordinate during, emergencies.
Newly registered vessels
We want all foreign vessels that are newly registered in Canada for the first time, to fall under the “new constructions” category, regardless of when they were built. This would help us make sure that all newly registered vessels meet Canada’s safety and environmental standards. For example, under the current rules, foreign vessels could reflag as Canadian vessels and be “grandfathered in” to rules for voyage data recorders (VDRs), or ECDIS.
Automatic identification systems (AIS)
We want to ease the requirement for vessels that carry more than 50 passengers and operate in lakes and rivers (in other words, internal waters). Currently, these vessels are required to carry a Class A AIS onboard, but we want to change that to require them to carry a Class B AIS. The system would still need to have a display. This change means that vessels could be equipped according to their unique operating conditions and remove the need to apply for a Marine Technical Review Board decision.
Lost containers
We want to add a rule that requires vessels to report lost containers to the nearest Canadian Coast Guard Station. This change aligns with similar international rules that come into effect January 1, 2026. This new requirement has already been introduced via a Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR).
Administrative Monetary Penalties
We want to update the Administrative Monetary Penalties and Notices Regulations to include violations under the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020. This would introduce a range of penalties, from $260 to $250,000, for violating the Navigation Safety Regulations.
Instead of set penalties, there would be a range of penalties to make sure that each penalty makes sense based on each unique situation. Using a range of penalties also means we can also account for any aggravating or mitigating factors.
Voyage data recorders and electronic inclinometers
We want to require new Canadian vessels that meet SOLAS size thresholds to carry voyage data recorders (VDRs), regardless of their voyage limits. This rule would also apply to vessels on the Great Lakes. These changes would help improve safety and collect data that could be used for accident investigations.
Additionally, we want to require electronic inclinometers for domestic vessels, such as bulk carriers of 3,000 gross tonnage or more, which are subject to degraded stability due to cargo movement during transit and adverse weather and sea conditions.
Agreement Between Canada and the United States of America for Promotion of Safety on the Great Lakes by Means of Radio, 1973
In November 2023, Canada and the U.S. ended an agreement that required radios to be inspected every 13 months on the Great Lakes. We want to update the regulations to remove references to this agreement.
We want to hear from you!
- Choose “Register” at the top of the page, and join the discussion under the “Have Your Say” tab
- You can also submit your comments in a Word or PDF document through the “Submissions” tab, and you can upload more than one document
We appreciate any information or comments you submit. Your feedback on this proposal is key to making sure that the Navigation Safety Regulations stay relevant and effective. Once the comment period closes, we will publish a “What we heard report” online.
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