Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith for her question, and for her advocacy for her community. I wish to assure the House that this government takes the issue of abandoned, derelict, and wrecked vessels very seriously.
While most vessel owners do properly dispose of their property, the few that do not, we agree, pose risks to safe navigation, the marine environment, public health, safety, and local economies. That is one of the reasons we supported the member's Motion Nr. 40 back in October, which called for meaningful steps in this area. We agree.
This is also the reasoning behind the announcement on November 7 about the $1.5 billion for the oceans protection plan. It is what she is asking for. It is a comprehensive strategy to address abandoned, derelict, and wrecked vessels, that focuses both on prevention and removal, and includes a robust polluter-pay approach for future vessel clean-up.
One only has to look at the dedicated efforts to manage the threats posed by the Kathryn Spirit in Beauharnois, Quebec or the Viki Lyne II in Ladysmith Harbour to see how imperative it is that we hold vessel owners to account. These kinds of situations cannot continue, and we are working hard to prevent them, and manage these complex situations.
During consultations last summer, partners and stakeholders across the country repeatedly told federal officials that the current suite of legislation, policies, and programs are not effective in addressing the problem. They also called for clear federal leadership.
This government has listened to Canadians, and will put into place new legislation that puts the responsibility and liability on vessel owners to properly remove and dispose of their vessels. This will include a new prohibition on the act of abandoning a vessel. We will create measures to improve owner identification, so that vessel owners can be held accountable.
Addressing this issue requires concerted effort from various levels of government. Our government will work with provincial, territorial, and local governments, and indigenous groups to support the clean-up of smaller, high priority vessels posing risks to coastal communities, and develop plans to address large commercial problem vessels according to the risk they pose.
Provinces, territories, and local governments must be involved, given their shared responsibility for managing the environment, and their lead roles in waste and land management, as well as in protecting the rights of private property owners. They have the sight lines locally. They know what is happening locally to support monitoring and enforcement activities.
The strategy also calls for targeted education, outreach, and research activities to help inform vessel owners of their responsibilities for proper vessel disposal, and to develop enhanced disposal options.
In addition, we will signal our intent to accede to the 2007 Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, which will provide added protection going forward for Canadian taxpayers by increasing vessel owner responsibility and liability for cleaning-up hazardous wrecks in Canadian waters.
Our approach is modelled on the success of other jurisdictions that are actually ahead of Canada on this issue. Our government is intent on getting the solutions right. We believe the comprehensive approach laid out in the oceans protection plan will get us there.