Marine protection and pilotage orders

Summary#

The Canada Gazette (Part I) published several notices from the Department of Transport on June 6, 2026. They include an update to the land and licence entries for the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, new interim rules to protect the Southern Resident killer whale, a short-term exclusion zone for False Creek (Vancouver), and a set of temporary pilotage rules for several Canadian ports and pilotage areas.

What it does#

• Vancouver Fraser Port Authority — Amendments under the Canada Marine Act

  • Updates Schedule C of the authority’s letters patent to add specific licences, a leasehold interest (office space), a statutory right-of-way, and to reflect consolidated property titles.
  • These supplementary letters patent were issued on May 25, 2026.

• Interim Order to protect Southern Resident killer whales — under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001

  • Vessels and people must not approach within 1,000 m of a Southern Resident killer whale in the listed waters, with some exceptions (e.g., distress, government crews, some licensed research or Indigenous fishing activities).
  • Navigation is prohibited in certain vessel‑restricted zones listed in the order on or before November 30, 2026, with defined exceptions for island access, small human-powered craft near shore, and certain Indigenous fishing or official activities.
  • Speed limits of 10 knots over ground apply in specified speed‑restricted zones until November 30, 2026.
  • The order comes into force on June 1, 2026.

• Interim Order Respecting the False Creek Exclusion Zone — under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001

  • Pleasure craft and vessels carrying passengers are barred from navigating, anchoring, mooring or berthing east of the Cambie Bridge (the defined “exclusion zone”), with exceptions for marina transits, distress, official duties, and certain Indigenous rights.
  • Enforcement powers for police, marine inspectors and fishery officers are specified.
  • The order comes into effect on June 1, 2026 and is scheduled to be repealed on July 8, 2026.

• Pilotage interim orders — under the Pilotage Act

  • Area 2 (Pacific): the compulsory pilotage area is extended geographically and now only laden crude oil tankers of 40,000 summer deadweight tonnage or more are required to take a pilot in that extended area. Notices about voyages must say the nature of cargo.
  • Belledune: defines a compulsory pilotage area as the waters within an arc of 2 nautical miles from the breakwater light; applicants for pilot credentials may meet recent experience requirements through a familiarization program approved by the Atlantic Pilotage Authority.
  • Sheet Harbour: makes ships of 170 m or more, tankers and LNG carriers subject to compulsory pilotage; also allows a familiarization program to substitute for some recent sea‑time requirements.
  • Earlier interim pilotage orders for these areas (from 2025) are repealed where noted.

Who's affected#

• Recreational boaters and water‑taxi or small passenger vessel operators in southern British Columbia waters, especially near False Creek, Pender Island and Saturna Island.
• Commercial vessel operators and shipping companies transiting the listed Southern Resident protection zones and the pilotage areas.
• Operators and owners of large crude oil tankers (laden, ≥ 40,000 summer DWT) in Pacific Area 2.
• Ship operators of vessels 170 m or longer, tankers and LNG carriers using Sheet Harbour, and pilots or applicants in the Belledune and Sheet Harbour areas.
• The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, property holders and lessees affected by the Schedule C changes.
• Indigenous fishers, researchers and government crews — many exceptions in the orders preserve activity for licensed or rights‑based uses.
• Enforcement agencies named in the notices (e.g., Royal Canadian Mounted Police, marine safety inspectors, fishery officers).

If something above is unclear in the Gazette text (for example precise map coordinates or technical legal descriptions), the notices themselves list the detailed boundaries and legal land descriptions.

Why it matters#

• The whale protection measures create clear rules (distance, speed and zone restrictions) intended to reduce ship disturbance and noise for the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population. That can change how and where commercial and recreational boats operate in large parts of southern B.C. coastline for several months.
• The False Creek exclusion temporarily limits pleasure craft and some passenger services inside a busy urban waterway. Local boaters, marinas and tourism operators may need to reroute or schedule differently while the order is in effect.
• The pilotage changes affect who must take a local pilot and where. That can change operational planning, scheduling and possibly costs for certain tankers and large ships.
• The port authority amendment is largely administrative but records new land rights and licences that affect property use and who can occupy or manage specific port lands.