Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority Added

Summary#

This final regulation, Regulations Amending the Schedule to the Canada Marine Act: SOR/2020-192, updates the list of Canada port authorities in the Canada Marine Act. It removes the old entries for the Hamilton Port Authority and the Oshawa Port Authority and adds the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, which was created on June 18, 2019. The change came into force when it was registered on September 10, 2020 and was published in the Canada Gazette on September 30, 2020.

What it does#

• Removes the separate listings for the former Hamilton Port Authority and Oshawa Port Authority from the schedule to the Canada Marine Act.
• Adds the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority to that schedule as the single, successor port authority.
• Confirms that the new authority carries the legal responsibilities previously held by the two former authorities.
• Takes effect on the day the regulation was registered: September 10, 2020.

Who's affected#

• Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority — named as the successor entity and now listed in the Act.
• The former Hamilton Port Authority and Oshawa Port Authority — their entries are removed from the schedule.
• People and organizations that use or deal with the ports in Hamilton and Oshawa — for example, shippers, local businesses, port workers, and nearby municipalities — may notice that one authority now represents those ports.
• If it is unclear who will be affected in a specific case, affected parties can check with Transport Canada or the new port authority for details.

Why it matters#

• This is mainly a housekeeping change that matches the law to what already happened: two port authorities merged into one in June 2019.
• It clarifies who has legal responsibility for those ports going forward. That can matter for permits, leases, safety oversight, or any dealings with the port authority.
• The government said the change does not create new costs and should not affect small businesses.