Kwe, bonjour. Good morning, Chair and members. I too want to recognize the unceded territories of the Algonquin and Anishinabe peoples on whose land we are meeting today. I want to recognize past, present and future generations, and I ask permission to leave my footprint on their territory.
My name is Isa Gros-Louis, and I am the Director General of Indigenous Relations and Navigation Protection at Transport Canada.
I am pleased to be here today to speak about Transport Canada’s role and commitment to keep our water safe, clean, and well managed.
I am joined today by my colleague Joanna Manger, Director General, Marine Safety and Security.
As the lead department for all transportation issues, policies and programs that promote safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible transportation, Transport Canada recognizes the value and importance of freshwater to the economy, health, and well-being of Canadians. To support these goals, Transport Canada administers several Acts, supported by comprehensive regulatory regimes to protect this valuable resource.
Allow me to provide you with an overview of this regime. The Canada Shipping Act, 2001, governs the safety of marine transportation, recreational boating, and protection of the marine environment, including bodies of freshwater where shipping or recreational boating activities takes place.
There is a comprehensive set of regulations in place, the vessel pollution and dangerous chemicals regulations, that address vessel operations that could impact aquatic environments.
These operations include discharges of oil and noxious liquid substances, air emissions, sewage and grey water, garbage, antifouling marine pollutants and pollutant substances. These regulations are modelled after the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, also known as MARPOL, developed by member states of the International Maritime Organization.
In addition, the Minister of Transport can make interim orders under the Canada Shipping Act to implement further protections when priority issues arise, such as the recent measures to address discharges of grey water and sewage from cruise ships in nearshore waters.
Under the ballast water regulations, domestic and international vessels are required to manage and treat their ballast water, which is used for safety and stability, to reduce the inadvertent introduction and spread of invasive species. These regulations include special protection for our valuable freshwater lakes and rivers, notably the Great Lakes.
On this issue in particular, Transport Canada is contributing up to $12.5 million to industry-led research and development projects to optimize ballast water technology for the conditions found in Canada.
I should also acknowledge that Transport Canada and our American counterparts cooperate under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement on compatible rules for vessel discharges, notably oil, ballast water, wastewater and sewage to ensure protections for one of the world’s largest freshwater ecosystems.
For oil spill response, the Canada Shipping Act along with its Response Organization Regulations and the Environmental Response Regulations provide for preparedness and capacity to respond to spills on the Great Lakes and inland waters. The regulations have led to the establishment of industry-funded and government-certified Response Organizations that ensure readiness to respond to marine oil spills.
The Canadian Navigable Waters Act allows the department to take meaningful actions to protect the environment and to safeguard the social and cultural value of all navigable waters in Canada.
Transport Canada supports environmental assessment processes led by the Impact Assessment Agency, provinces and territories, and Indigenous governments and works in collaboration with other federal departments, including Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, to ensure that potential impacts on the environment, including freshwater ecosystems, are mitigated, and that the constitutionally protected rights and interests of Indigenous peoples are addressed.
Additionally, the Canadian Navigable Waters Act supports the protection of freshwater ecosystems by prohibiting the actions of throwing or depositing various materials in waters that flow into navigable waters and prohibiting the dewatering of a navigable water.
Under section 26.1 of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act, Transport Canada continues to advance research, including indigenous-led studies such as the navigational study within the Moose Cree homeland, to identify the sources, risks and potential mitigation measures for navigability and usage impacting access to fish and hunting grounds.
A key measure under Canada's oceans protection plan, the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act is central to addressing vessels of concern, including wrecked, abandoned, hazardous, worn-down or dilapidated boats that can create issues for local public health and safety, the environment and the economy. They can also contaminate our waters, impact local tourism and shipping routes, and affect the marine ecosystem.
Under the act, Transport Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans through the Canadian Coast Guard work together to take proactive actions to address or prevent the negative impacts of vessels of concern on Canada's coastal and shoreline communities. Most importantly, the act strengthens vessel owner responsibility and liability; addresses irresponsible vessel management, including a prohibition on vessel abandonment; and enhances federal powers to take proactive action on hazardous vessels.