Evidence of meeting #89 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was boats.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS
I only have about one minute left. I would love to go to our other witness and come back if we get a second round.
You mentioned you had some fears around recreational levies acting as a subsidy for commercial cleanups. Isn't the best fix for this to ensure that the owner of the vessel is liable and require that they have insurance so you would never need to put in place a levy on the recreational boater for a commercial cleanup in the first place?
President, National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada
If we want to look at the opportunity to expand the insurance aspect, we could that. I don't know that the legislation currently has that aspect on small vessels.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I have a question for Madam Anghel about the scope and nature of the recreational boating industry. You mentioned in your opening remarks that about 40,000 new boats were sold in Canada last year. What mix is that between sail and power?
President, National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada
It's probably 90% power and 10% sail, maybe less than that in sail.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Of those 39,000 to 40,000 new boats sold, roughly what percentage are manufactured here in Canada, and what percentage are imported, if you know that?
President, National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada
Over 80% are imported from the United States.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
How many fibreglass-hulled sailboat manufacturers are there left in Canada, just out of curiosity?
President, National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada
I don't know for a fact, but none of them are members of our association.
President, National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada
I would say the majority of the sailboat components probably come from Europe, and they are larger if they come from Europe.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
It seems to me—and maybe my impression is wrong—that the sailing manufacturing industry in Canada and sailboats in general declined in the last number of decades. You know, living in Ontario, it seems to me that, in the 1970s and 1980s, we had quite a robust sailboat manufacturing industry and sailboat racing community, but that is kind of gone, relative to power, and has been on the decline over the last number of decades. What sailboats we do have are being imported from, as you mentioned, Europe and the United States.
President, National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada
We can track the statistics back to 2009, thanks to the Transport Canada licensing information. It's a small percentage.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
You mentioned that the regulations for recreational boats should be different than for large commercial boats. If the government does, at some point, put in regulations for below 300 tonnes, what, if anything, do you think the government should do with respect to insurance or licensing? I know you mentioned that whatever fees are collected should go, not into general revenues, but into some fund that should be dedicated for the purpose. Do you have any other suggestions?
President, National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada
I would just say that it's not just that it goes into general revenue, but if we're collecting money for every registration, say it's not every year but every three years, and there are x dollars collected for every new boat that is licensed or a used boat this is transferred, that should become a fund that Transport Canada manages to enhance the program of licensing, but then it should leave a stipend of x amount of dollars, which is what some of the U.S. states are doing, for cleanup of abandoned vessels. For every three dollars that is spent for a $30 registration, let's say in Washington state, that $3 goes to a fund that is operated by the state to clean up abandoned vessels.
I would just say that it doesn't have to be more complicated than that. It's just kept within a fund that helps to clean up abandoned vessels that are for recreation. If we're collecting registration money from recreational boats, then that money shouldn't be used to clean up commercial ships. That is what I'm suggesting.
Conservative
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
I don't have any further questions, Madam Chair.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair,
We recognize that it is important for all sections of the Canadian Armed Forces to be correctly recognized everywhere in Canada.
Nevertheless, I believe that protecting Canada's ocean military graves needs enhanced collaboration among several departments.
My question goes to Mr. Rouleau.
Bill C-64 excludes wrecks considered as having heritage value under an act of Parliament or of the legislature of a province. How many military wrecks meet those conditions today?
VAdm (Ret'd) Denis Rouleau
Are you talking about the wrecks to which the act would not apply? There are 19 such wrecks today: nine military vessels and ten merchant ships.
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Okay.
How many vessels would come under the act, in your view?
Liberal
Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC
Great.
By protecting our warships, we are preserving our history. However, do any of the vessels pose a threat to the environment or cause a problem for navigation?
VAdm (Ret'd) Denis Rouleau
None of the wrecks poses a risk to navigation. As for the environment, those vessels have been at the bottom of the ocean for a number of decades and we have no data with which to determine whether they pose a risk or not. All we know is that the vessel sank in a given location, with so many sailors on board.
Liberal
