Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt reintroduced the proposed Safeguarding Canada’s Seas and Skies Act on October 18, a piece of legislation first tabled March 18 as part of the government’s plan to establish a tanker safety system off the east and west coasts of the country.
Proposed amendments to the Marine Liability Act aim to fill a gap in the current liability and compensation regime, and establish an international standard covering incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances transported by ships. Proposed amendments to the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 will strengthen current requirements for spill prevention and preparedness at oil handling facilities, and enhance response to oil spill incidents by removing legal barriers that could otherwise block agents of Canadian response organizations from participating in clean-up operations.
The proposed Act is part of the government’s Responsible Resource Development (RRD) strategy, which looks to exploit Canada’s natural resources while strengthening safety and environmental protection.
