Pollution

Transport Canada is starting new regulatory development to help increase access to marine emergency services and improve response to pollution incidents. As an initial step, we have published an online discussion paper to seek input to help determine the scope and key features of these potential regulations.  

View Online

The deadline to submit a formal written response to the Discussion Paper: Marine Pollution Preparedness, Response and Recovery  (MPPRR) is May 31^st, 2023. This deadline is fast approaching and we want your feedback on some key questions to help develop a new coordinated framework for marine pollution incidents.

In January, the Government of Canada posted a Discussion Paper that contains a proposal to develop a national coordinated system to prepare for, respond to and recover from marine pollution incidents that involve oil and/or hazardous and noxious substances.

The coordinated system will clearly define the roles and responsibilities for all partners involved – includes developing a formal role for Indigenous communities – to  ensure that the response to marine pollution incidents is timely, efficient, and minimizes the impact on human health and the environment. The coordinated system will not impede on provincial jurisdictions but allow us to work together on common objectives. 

Please contact us if you have any questions. We encourage you to review our proposal and provide a written response to the key questions to our inbox: OPPMPPRR-PIRCPMPPO@tc.gc.ca

We look forward to receiving your feedback by May 31st, 2023. Providing a formal written response is the first of many steps in creating the coordinated system. Please feel free to distribute the Discussion Paper to any community members, colleagues or partners that may be interested in this initiative.

Link to the Discussion Paper: Marine Pollution Preparedness, Response and Recovery and Key Questions

Through the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is working to improve our ability to work together with Indigenous communities, the marine industry, regional, municipal, provincial and territorial governments to respond to marine pollution incidents that involve oil and/or hazardous and noxious substances.

Marine pollution incidents are complex and often involve notifying many partners, making fast decisions, mobilizing and dispatching different response resources, and trying to minimize how a spill impacts the environment and human health. While Canada already has plans in place for many kinds of pollution incidents from different sources (like tankers or pipelines) and different kinds of pollution (like oil), there are still areas we can improve to make sure that our response to marine pollution is seamless and effective.

As part of this work, the Government of Canada is proposing to develop a coordinated system to respond to all such marine pollution incidents.

Creating a coordinated system will clearly define the roles and responsibilities for all partners involved to make sure that our response to these types of marine pollution incidents is timely, efficient, and minimize the pollution’s impact on human health and the environment. This includes helping to develop a formal role for Indigenous communities to prepare for and respond to marine pollution incidents.

We invite you to review our proposal and respond to a few key questions to help us shape this framework in the years to come.

Link to the Marine Pollution Preparedness, Response and Recovery Discussion Paper

Please note the deadline for comment is May 31, 2023. The gathering of feedback on this proposal is the first of many steps in creating the proposed system. Please feel free to distribute to any colleagues and partners that may be interested in this initiative.