Ottawa, Ontario - Canadians expect clean and safe waterways, and efficient response to marine hazards is a priority for the Government of Canada. Abandoned, wrecked or hazardous vessels can threaten marine environments, local communities and economies. The Canadian Coast Guard is taking action to address these vessels across the country through innovative technology.
Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Joyce Murray, announced that the Canadian Coast Guard has purchased BRNKL Rapid Deploy units from Barnacle Systems Inc. Through a partnership with Innovative Solutions Canada, 39 of these remote monitoring devices are being installed on hazardous vessels across the country.
These made-in-Canada devices are placed on board a problem vessel and allow the Canadian Coast Guard to monitor a vessel from afar and be notified if it begins to sink, if it is impacted by weather conditions, and more. The device offers the Canadian Coast Guard near real-time status updates and alerts, allowing for faster deployment of marine environmental and hazard response teams to high-priority areas.
Over 2,000 wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels have been reported across Canada to date. Through the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada established a national strategy to address these vessels and prevent the occurrence of new ones. Since 2016, almost 500 projects to remove and dispose of abandoned boats across Canada have been funded through the Plan.
