As a maritime nation, Canadians across the country rely on marine shipping to deliver goods in a safe and efficient way. Whether it's new or improved legislation, scientific research, jobs or targeted investments in training, infrastructure and equipment, the Oceans Protection Plan is making shipping safer, and making a difference across the country.
Today, the Minister of Transport, Pablo Rodriguez, announced that the value of monetary penalties for violations under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 has been increased from a maximum of $25,000 to a new maximum of $250,000.
The revised penalties are structured into three levels: minor, medium, and serious and reflect the seriousness of the violation. Minor violations are administrative in nature and pose no threat to public safety or the environment; medium violations apply to situations when regulations around pollution response are not followed, but may not pose a large threat to people or the environment; and serious violations are those that endanger human health or the environment, or involve destroying documents or obstruction of authority.
Examples of minor violations include:
- a Master of a vessel failing to notify the Minister of Transport prior to entering a shipping safety control zone
- vessels carrying dangerous goods not holding the appropriate Document of Compliance
Examples of medium violations include:
- cheating on an examination to obtain a maritime document
- a person possessing a maritime document not issued to them
Examples of serious violations include:
- not storing compressed gas in separate compartments from other types of compressed gas
- discharging of cargo residues in polar waters in certain conditions
The Oceans Protection Plan is a Canadian success story. When Indigenous Peoples, industry, communities, scientists, and government work together to protect our people and environment, grow our economy, and support good jobs across the country, we deliver real results.
