Methane comments report and Pacific pilotage order

Summary#

• The federal government published two notices on November 16, 2024. One says a report is available about public comments on methane rules and an equivalency agreement with Saskatchewan under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
• The other is an Interim Order Respecting Waivers of Compulsory Pilotage Granted by the Pacific Pilotage Authority that changes when ships on the west coast can sail without a compulsory pilot. The order was made by Anita Anand on November 4, 2024.

What it does#

• Environment notice:

  • Announces that a summary report is now available on how public comments and any formal objections were handled for the Agreement on the Equivalency of Federal and Saskatchewan Regulations Respecting the Release of Methane from the Oil and Gas Sector in Saskatchewan, 2025.
  • Also makes available a summary about comments on an Order Declaring that the Provisions of the Regulations Respecting Reduction in the Release of Methane and Certain Volatile Organic Compounds (Upstream Oil and Gas Sector) Do Not Apply in Saskatchewan.
  • Gives a contact: Magda Little at the Department of the Environment (email: methane-methane@ec.gc.ca).

• Pilotage interim order:

  • Temporarily replaces the rules about waiving compulsory pilotage in the Pacific region. It tells when the Pacific Pilotage Authority may grant a waiver so a ship can navigate without an embarked licensed pilot.
  • Lists specific situations that can justify a waiver, including:
    • ship in distress, medical evacuation, rescue or salvage operations, seeking refuge;
    • no licensed pilot available (but certain notification and route-familiarity conditions must be met);
    • routine movements such as warping or going to or from a pilot boarding station.
  • Sets experience and certification rules for smaller ships (under 10,000 gross tonnage) to qualify for a waiver, with different voyage-count requirements depending on the marine area.
  • Prevents waivers where there is a clear risk to navigational safety (for example, environmental risks, serious on-board problems, or extreme weather/tides).
  • Requires some waiver applications to be in writing and allows the Authority to ask for proof that conditions are still met.

Who's affected#

• Environment notice:

  • Companies and organizations in Saskatchewan’s oil and gas sector, especially those concerned with methane rules and the equivalency agreement.
  • Anyone who submitted comments or objections to the consultations, and anyone looking for how those comments were handled.

• Pilotage interim order:

  • Ship owners and operators, masters and crew who operate in the Pacific compulsory pilotage areas (west coast of Canada).
  • Pacific Pilotage Authority, port authorities, marine pilots, and companies that move dangerous goods by ship in sensitive zones (for example, the Second Narrows Traffic Control Zone).
  • Marine insurers and supply-chain users who may see changes to voyage planning or costs if licensed-pilot requirements change.

Why it matters#

• Environment notice:

  • The report improves transparency about how the government responded to public input on methane rules and on whether Saskatchewan’s rules can stand in place of federal rules. That matters to industry planning, local regulators, and communities worried about methane emissions.

• Pilotage interim order:

  • Changing when a ship must carry a licensed pilot can affect safety, costs, and scheduling for marine traffic on the west coast. The order keeps strict experience and safety limits for waivers, but it can also make it easier in some routine or emergency cases for ships to proceed without a pilot. This can affect local ports, coastal communities, and companies that rely on timely marine transport.