National Strategy for Abandoned Vessels

Summary#

This bill amends the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act to require a national strategy on abandoned vessels. It directs the Minister of Transport to design and carry out measures that prevent abandonment, find owners, and improve disposal. It sets deadlines for a public strategy and yearly progress reports. It also adds a definition of “Indigenous governing body” to enable partnership (s. 2; Part 6.1).

• Creates a national strategy with specific measures, including a turn‑in program and disposal areas (Part 6.1, Content (2)(c)).
• Requires a system to quickly identify vessel owners (Part 6.1, Content (2)(a)).
• Calls for an evaluation of fees related to vessel disposal costs (Part 6.1, Content (2)(b)).
• Directs development of recycling initiatives and enforceable standards (Part 6.1, Content (2)(d)).
• Requires a mooring plan and support for local salvage businesses (Part 6.1, Content (2)(e)–(f)).
• Mandates a report within 1 year of coming into force, then annual progress reports starting in year 2, all published online (Part 6.1, Report; Annual report).

What it means for you#

• Households and boat owners

  • You may get access to a turn‑in program and designated disposal areas for end‑of‑life boats. Details, costs, and locations will be set in the strategy, not in this bill (Part 6.1, Content (2)(c)).
  • The government will create a system to identify vessel owners faster. This could increase follow‑up if your vessel is left derelict (Part 6.1, Content (2)(a)).
  • Fees tied to vessel disposal will be reviewed. The bill does not change fees; it orders an evaluation only (Part 6.1, Content (2)(b)).

• Workers and salvage businesses

  • The strategy must provide support to local businesses that offer salvage services. The form of support is not defined in the bill (Part 6.1, Content (2)(f)).
  • New recycling initiatives and enforceable standards may change how you process vessels and parts. Standards will be set through the strategy (Part 6.1, Content (2)(d)).

• Marinas and moorage operators

  • A mooring plan for vessels will be developed. This could change local mooring practices. Specific rules will come through the strategy, not the bill (Part 6.1, Content (2)(e)).

• Local and provincial governments

  • The Minister must consider cooperation and partnership with provinces on implementing the measures, and assess timelines (Part 6.1, Content (3)(b)).
  • The strategy aims to improve the process for disposing of wrecked and abandoned vessels, which may affect local cleanup workflows (Part 6.1, Content (2)(g)).

• Indigenous governing bodies

  • The bill defines “Indigenous governing body” and calls for cooperation and partnership, where appropriate, on implementation and timelines (s. 2; Part 6.1, Content (3)(b)).

• Coastal residents and waterway users

  • The strategy is intended to reduce environmental and navigation risks from abandoned vessels by improving prevention, identification, and disposal (Part 6.1, Content (2)(a), (d), (g)).

• Timing

  • The Minister must table the national strategy and an implementation schedule within 1 year of the Act coming into force, and publish it within 30 days of tabling (Part 6.1, Report).
  • Annual progress reports begin in the year of the second anniversary and continue every year, with publication within 30 days of tabling (Part 6.1, Annual report).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• No direct appropriations or new revenues are specified in the bill (Part 6.1).
• Requires Transport Canada to develop, implement, table, and publish a national strategy and annual progress reports; administrative and program costs are not stated (Part 6.1).
• Potential future costs for a turn‑in program, disposal areas, recycling standards, and support to salvage businesses will depend on the strategy’s design; amounts not provided in the bill (Part 6.1, Content (2)(c)–(g)).
• Possible fee changes are not set; only an evaluation of fee adequacy is required (Part 6.1, Content (2)(b)).

Proponents' View#

• A national strategy coordinates prevention, owner identification, disposal, and recycling, which should reduce abandoned vessels more effectively than piecemeal actions (Part 6.1, Content (2)).
• A system to promptly identify owners will speed enforcement and recovery of cleanup costs when abandonment occurs (Part 6.1, Content (2)(a)).
• Evaluating fee adequacy can align fees with true disposal costs, improving cost recovery and deterrence of abandonment (Part 6.1, Content (2)(b)).
• A turn‑in program and designated disposal areas give owners a legal, practical way to dispose of vessels, reducing illegal dumping (Part 6.1, Content (2)(c)).
• Recycling initiatives with enforceable standards can lower environmental impacts from vessel materials and waste (Part 6.1, Content (2)(d)).
• Annual reporting and required publication increase transparency and accountability for results (Part 6.1, Report; Annual report).

Opponents' View#

• Costs are open‑ended and unspecified; implementing a turn‑in program, disposal areas, and new standards could be expensive without a stated budget (Part 6.1, Content (2)(c)–(d), (g)).
• The bill may duplicate existing federal efforts under the current Act and Canadian Coast Guard programs, adding administrative layers without clear savings (Part 6.1).
• Evaluating fee adequacy could lead to higher fees on vessel owners; the bill gives no guardrails on potential increases (Part 6.1, Content (2)(b)).
• A turn‑in program might create moral hazard if owners expect government to handle end‑of‑life vessels at low or no cost, unless designed carefully (Part 6.1, Content (2)(c)).
• Intergovernmental and Indigenous partnership goals are broad; coordination may slow implementation or create inconsistent rules across regions (Part 6.1, Content (3)(b)).
• The one‑year deadline to table the strategy may rush consultation and lead to a plan that is hard to execute or costly to revise (Part 6.1, Report).