Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Salaberry—Suroît for her interest in the Kathryn Spirit.
As we know, the Canadian Coast Guard plays a vital role in saving human lives and protecting our waters. It is responsible for responding to all incidents of pollution caused by a vessel in Canada.
As some members know, since 2011 the Kathryn Spirit has been moored at the edge of Lake Saint-Louis, which is in the St. Lawrence Seaway. In 2012, this vessel was sold to a Mexican business that planned to tow it to Mexico, where it would be dismantled properly.
Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard carried out regular inspections of the vessel to mitigate the risks of pollution. In 2013, in response to reports of pollution, the Canadian Coast Guard investigated and conducted an operation to remove the pollutants from the vessel.
Unfortunately, the company declared bankruptcy in the fall of 2015 and announced that it was abandoning the vessel.
Although the risk of pollution is low, an inspection carried out by Transport Canada in January 2016 indicated that structural problems would pose serious challenges to towing the vessel to another location.
That is why the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard was very proactive on this file. On February 1, 2016, at the request of the minister, senior officials at Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard met the mayors of Montreal and Beauharnois to discuss the Kathryn Spirit.
I am pleased to inform the House that following those discussions, a joint working group made up of federal, provincial, and municipal government representatives was set up. The partners will work together on developing options for a lasting and safe solution that responds to the concerns of local residents.
The working group met twice in March and April, and mid-year recommendations will be presented at the beginning of summer 2016. We look forward to reviewing their findings. I assure the House that we are committed to working with the municipalities of Montreal and Beauharnois to ensure that this problem is resolved.
I was assured that the Kathryn Spirit is not discharging any pollutants at this time. Representatives from the Canadian Coast Guard will continue to monitor the ship and are prepared to intervene at a moment's notice if the situation changes.
The Canadian Coast Guard takes its mandate to protect the marine environment very seriously. Our government understands that Canadians have serious concerns about abandoned ships and it is taking every necessary step to protect the environment.
I want to thank the Canadian Coast Guard, Transport Canada, and our partners for all the work that has been done to resolve the problem of the Kathryn Spirit, which is docked on Lake Saint-Louis in Beauharnois.