Bill C-55 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act

This bill was last introduced in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session, which ended in September 2019.

Sponsor

Dominic LeBlanc  Liberal

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the Oceans Act to, among other things,
(a) clarify the responsibility of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to establish a national network of marine protected areas;
(b) empower the Minister to designate marine protected areas by order and prohibit certain activities in those areas;
(c) provide that, within five years after the day on which the order of the Minister designating a marine protected area comes into force, the Minister is to make a recommendation to the Governor in Council to make regulations to replace that order or is to repeal it;
(d) provide that the Governor in Council and Minister cannot use the lack of scientific certainty regarding the risks posed by any activity as a reason to postpone or refrain from exercising their powers or performing their duties and functions under subsection 35(3) or 35.‍1(2);
(e) update and strengthen the powers of enforcement officers;
(f) update the Act’s offence provisions, in particular to increase the amount of fines and to provide that ships may be subject to the offence provisions; and
(g) create new offences for a person or ship that engages in prohibited activities within a marine protected area designated by an order or that contravenes certain orders.
This enactment also makes amendments to the Canada Petroleum Resources Act to, among other things,
(a) expand the Governor in Council’s authority to prohibit an interest owner from commencing or continuing a work or activity in a marine protected area that is designated under the Oceans Act;
(b) empower the competent Minister under the Canada Petroleum Resources Act to cancel an interest that is located in a marine protected area that is designated under the Oceans Act or in an area of the sea that may be so designated; and
(c) provide for compensation to the interest owner for the cancellation or surrender of such an interest.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Votes

May 13, 2019 Passed Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act
May 13, 2019 Passed Time allocation for Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act
April 25, 2018 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act
April 25, 2018 Failed Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act (recommittal to a committee)
April 25, 2018 Passed Time allocation for Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act
Oct. 17, 2017 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Oct. 26, 2017

  • Kevin Stringer, Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Jeff MacDonald, Director General, Oceans and Fisheries Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Philippe Morel, Assistant Deputy Minister, Aquatic Ecosystems Sector, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Nov. 2, 2017

  • Kevin Stringer, Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Jeff MacDonald, Director General, Oceans and Fisheries Policy, Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Nov. 7, 2017

  • Kevin Stringer, Associate Deputy Minister, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Tony Matson, Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Chris Wang, As an Individual
  • Janice Yu, As an Individual
  • Sylvie Lapointe, Assistant Deputy Minister, Fisheries and Harbour Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Andy Smith, Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Shipbuilding, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Jeffery Hutchinson, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Melanie Giffin, Representative, Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association
  • Kenneth Arsenault, President, P.E.I. Shellfish Association
  • Ian MacPherson, Executive Director, Prince Edward Island Fishermen's Association

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Nov. 9, 2017

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Nov. 21, 2017

  • Paul Crowley, Vice-President, Arctic Program, World Wildlife Fund-Canada
  • John Helin, Mayor, Lax Kw'alaams Band
  • Nikki Macdonald, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Victoria, As an Individual
  • Bill Wareham, Science Projects Manager, Western Region, David Suzuki Foundation

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Nov. 23, 2017

  • Tom Smith, Executive Director, Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia
  • Maria Recchia, Executive Director, Fundy North Fishermen's Association
  • Lois Mitchell, Designated Board Representative, Fundy North Fishermen's Association
  • Stephen Woodley, Vice-Chair of Science and Biodiversity, World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for Conservation of Nature
  • Linda Nowlan, Staff Counsel, West Coast Environmental Law Association

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Nov. 27, 2017

  • Robert C. McLeod, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Northwest Territories
  • Christina Burridge, Executive Director, BC Seafood Alliance
  • Paul Kariya, Senior Policy Advisor, Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Nov. 30, 2017

  • Natalie Ban, Associate Professor, School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, As an Individual
  • Rodolphe Devillers, Professor, Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, As an Individual
  • Boris Worm, Professor, Biology, Dalhousie University, As an Individual
  • Marilyn Slett, Chief Councillor, Heiltsuk Tribal Council
  • Peter Lantin, President, Council of the Haida Nation

Fisheries and Oceans Committee, on Dec. 7, 2017

  • Darren Goetze, Director General, Conservation and Protection, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Jeff MacDonald, Director General, Oceans Management, Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk