The Government of Canada has unveiled plans to implement measures to enhance the country’s maritime navigation and emergency response activities.
The four measures will be executed under the government’s C$1.5bn ($1.1bn) Oceans Protection Plan, which aims to protect Canada’s coasts and waterways.
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As part of the plan, the government will provide $110m ($86m) over a period of five years to the Canadian Hydrographic Service for charting 23 high-priority commercial ports and near-shore areas along all three coasts to create safer navigation for mariners.
The investment will see the inclusion of high-resolution electronic navigation charts, navigational products and data to provide increased safety to the mariners.
Canadian Hydrographic Service has so far completed surveys on eight of the 23 ports.
The government will also add seven coastal communities under the plan to test a new information system that shows the location of ship traffic and other important maritime information.
As part of the government’s Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness initiative, this move will also involve the selection of a contractor to build a system that provides near-real-time data on local ship traffic.
Canada Transport Minister Marc Garneau said: “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.”
Among other measures, the plan includes awarding of an initial contract to Hercules SLR to deliver two vessel-based emergency tow kits, as well as equipment and training to the Canadian Coast Guard.
