VANCOUVER, May 16, 2018 /CNW/ - Canada's coasts support Indigenous and coastal communities, enable international trade, are home to precious ecosystems, and play a key role in strengthening the economy and growing our middle class. The Government of Canada's $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan?the largest investment ever made to protect our coasts and waterways?is building a world-leading marine safety system and will lead to cleaner and safer coasts.
Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport announced four measures to help protect Canada's waters and coastlines as part of the Oceans Protection Plan. These measures are:
Through the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is creating a world-leading marine safety system that provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coasts and waterways for generations to come. The Government will ensure Canada's resources are developed in a way that is informed by rigorous science and evidence, aligns to Canada's climate change plan, protects Canada's rich natural environment, respects the rights and treaties of Indigenous Peoples, and supports our economy.
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"Today, the Government of Canada has taken additional steps towards maintaining a marine safety system that is world-leading. Our commitment to partnering with Indigenous Peoples and collaborating with coastal communities to protect Canada's coastal ecosystems is clear and unequivocal. The marine safety and navigational improvements from the Oceans Protection Plan announced today will help us put safeguards in place for all vessels, including those carrying petroleum products overseas. We are determined to safeguard Canada's waters ? and know that a strong economy and a clean environment go hand-in-hand to benefit all Canadians."
The Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport
"Safe marine navigation and ensuring vessels can quickly be removed from trouble are essential to enhancing marine safety and preventing potential marine pollution incidents. This investment in the Canadian Hydrographic Service will help provide up-to-date navigation information in critical areas across the country, and these new tow kits will give the Canadian Coast Guard greater ability to tow vessels out of distress in emergency situations. Through the Oceans Protection Plan we are making our oceans safer, cleaner and healthier."
The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
"The environment and the economy go together. That's why I'm proud our government is investing in world-leading measures and enhanced weather forecasting to improve marine safety, and continuing to advance scientific research to protect our coasts today and leave a rich natural legacy for our kids and grandkids."
The Honourable Catherine McKenna
Minister of Environment and Climate Change
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New investments in surveying for safer navigation
Mariners, Indigenous peoples and coastal communities rely heavily on hydrographic surveys and charts to keep them safe and to make a living. Data collected through these surveys, such as water depth, levels, and tides, help create nautical charts that are used to navigate safely.
Under the Oceans Protection Plan, the Government of Canada is investing close to $110 million over five years for charting and surveying activities that will help make navigation safer in key areas. Under this initiative, the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) will chart 23 high-priority commercial ports and near-shore areas along all three coasts.
The funding will enhance hydrographic services and deliver improved navigational products, such as high-resolution electronic navigational charts and real-time information on tides, into the hands of mariners. This new investment will allow CHS to increase their surveying activities, which will fill important gaps in critical areas across the country that currently have limited and out-of-date navigational information. The Arctic in particular will benefit from additional hydrographic information in key areas where information is missing or not available.
To date, CHS has completed new surveys of eight ports in British Columbia and Quebec. It has also started accelerated surveying in the Arctic and high risk near-shore areas coast to coast. Over the next five years, CHS will continue to increase its surveying activities in the Arctic, British Columbia, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Great Lakes. Reliable and dependable navigation charts and products will lead to safer and more efficient navigation.
This information will strengthen navigational safety in and around ports, making high-risk areas safer and reduce the risk of accidents. Modern hydrographic information will also provide a better scientific understanding of the seabed, to help us better protect the environment.
About the Canadian Hydrographic Service
Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Canadian Hydrographic Service has the responsibility for charting the world's longest coastline as well as over six million square kilometres of continental shelf and territorial waters, including extensive inland waterways such as the St. Lawrence Seaway.
CHS activities continue to deepen our knowledge of Canadian waters and provide important products and information that ensure the safe navigation of Canada's waterways. The data collected will lead to high-resolution depictions of the depth, shape and structure of Canada's oceans, lakes and rivers and helps to add precision in the determination of Canada's maritime boundaries and sovereignty.
CHS continues to use the latest technologies to make the work done today more comprehensive and accurate than ever before. Surveys will be done using both existing and emerging technologies, including multibeam sonar surveys, new Laser Airborne Hydrography (LiDAR - Light Detection And Ranging) techniques, Automated Hydrographic Surface Vehicles, and increased use of satellite imagery to fill hydrographic data gaps.
High-risk ports ? survey schedule | |
Port |
Expected Timeline |
British Columbia | |
Port Alberni |
2017-18 - COMPLETED |
Prince Rupert |
2017-18 - COMPLETED |
Stewart |
2017-18 - COMPLETED |
Vancouver (English Bay) |
2017-18 - COMPLETED |
Squamish |
2018-19 |
Port Mcneill |
2018-19 |
Nanaimo Harbour |
2018-19 |
Deltaport |
2018-19 |
Campbell River |
2019-20 |
Crofton |
2019-20 |
Chemainus |
2019-20 |
Esquimalt |
2020-21 |
Victoria Harbour |
2020-21 |
Quebec | |
Îles de la Madeleine |
2017-18 - COMPLETED |
Havre St. Pierre |
2017-18 - COMPLETED |
Port Alfred (La Baie) |
2017-18 - COMPLETED |
Port Cartier |
2017-18 - COMPLETED |
Sept-Îles (Pointe-Noire) |
2018-19 |
Baie Comeau |
2018-19 |
Trois Rivières |
2018-19 |
New Brunswick | |
Saint John |
2020-21 |
Nova Scotia | |
Port Hawkesbury |
2020-21 |
Prince Edward Island | |
Charlottetown |
2018-19 |
May 2018
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SOURCE Transport Canada
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