The federal government tabled legislation earlier this week to proactively deal with wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels.
Bill C-64 was introduced in Parliament on Monday by Transportation Minister Marc Garneau as one of several measures the government has committed to delivering under last year’s $1.5-billion Oceans Protection Plan.
“The government of Canada is committed to protecting our coasts and waterways,” noted West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country Liberal MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones in a news release. “I would like to thank the stewardship of volunteers and community partners who have championed this issue from coast to coast to coast.”
Bill C-64 will prohibit vessel abandonment, strengthen owner responsibility and liability for hazardous vessels and wrecks, including costs for clean-up and removal, and empower the government to take action on hazardous vessels.
The bill would also bring into law the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, in an effort to strengthen vessel owners’ liability for hazardous wrecks from marine incidents.
More information on Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan can be found here.
