Vanguard Magazine

Five new initiatives of the Oceans Protection Plan Plan O OCEANS PROTECTION PLAN www.vanguardcanada.com JUNE/JULY 2017 33 marine spills do not happen in the first place. The Oceans Protection Plan will expand the Canadian Coast Guard's role in patrol- ling and monitoring Canada's marine envi- ronment 24/7 and responding to marine incidents. For example, it will strengthen Coast Guard's Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centres (Canada's ears and eyes on the water) to ensure uninter- rupted communications with mariners. With increased Coast Guard capacity, the Government of Canada will be in a better position to work closely with Indigenous and local communities to assess risks and respond quickly to marine emergencies and pollution incidents. To achieve this goal, the Canadian Coast Guard will pro- vide training in search and rescue, environ- mental response, and incident command to establish new Indigenous Community Response Teams on Canada's West Coast. This will support a greater role in marine safety in their communities. The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary's vital role will be expanded. This 4,000 plus network of search and rescue volunteers will be offered training in the basics of en- vironmental response to support the Coast Guard in the investigation, assessment, and monitoring of activities in response to re- ports of marine pollution. Community Re- sponse Teams and Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary will join with municipalities, towns and other stakeholders to participate in exercises to ensure all hands are on deck in the event of an oil spill. There will also be tougher requirements for polluters. Under the Oceans Protec- tion Plan, the Government of Canada is strengthening the polluter-pay principle by updating its Ship-Source Oil Pollution Fund. This will include providing claim- O n May 31, 2017, the Honourable Domi- nic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the Honourable Marc Gar- neau, Minister of Transport, announced five ini- tiatives as part of the Oceans Protection Plan. The Canadian Coast Guard will establish seven new lifeboat stations, an investment of $108.1 million over five years with ongoing funding of $12.2 million. Four stations will be in British Columbia in the areas of Victoria, Hart- ley Bay, Port Renfrew, and Nootka; and two new stations in Newfoundland and Labrador in the areas of Twillingate and Bay de Verde. The Canadian Coast Guard will also create 24/7 emergency management and response capacity within three existing Regional Op- erations Centres in Victoria, Montreal and St. John's to better plan and coordinate effective response during an incident. A five year, $75 million national Coastal Res- toration Fund was announced to support ma- rine habitat restoration priorities and address threats to marine species located on Canada's coasts and waterways. A review will be done of the Pilotage Act, the legislative and regulatory framework that en- sures experienced marine pilots navigate ships safely through select waters in Canada. The re- view will be chaired by Mr. Marc Grégoire, who is a former Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard and former Assistant Deputy Minister of Safety and Security at Transport Canada. Under Mr. Grégoire's leadership, the review will focus on topics such as tariffs, service delivery, gov- ernance, and dispute resolution. The government will launch a five-year $6.85 million Abandoned Boats Program led by Trans- port Canada. This Program will facilitate the removal of existing smaller high-priority aban- doned boats, educate boat owners about their responsibilities, and support research into improving recycling options for boats. It is esti- mated that there are more than 600 abandoned boats across Canada. Source: Transport Canada researching how oil behaves when spilled in marine environments. Creating a world-leading marine safety system Every day, Canadians consume goods that arrive from around the world by ship, and 95 per cent of the approximately 180 mil- lion tonnes of Canada's commodities and processed goods – including minerals, oils, metals and wood – are exported by marine transportation to international markets. Canadians must have confidence that these goods are shipped to and from Canada without harming their environment. Through the Oceans Protection Plan, Canada aims to create a marine safety sys- tem that will respond faster and more ef- fectively to marine spills. In addition, the Government of Canada is launching new preventative measures to help make sure "Through the Oceans Protection Plan, Canada aims to create a marine safety system that will respond faster and more effectively to marine spills."

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