The Government of Canada has published the new Marine Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020, which now apply to commercial vessels of all sizes, including fishing vessels, workboats, water taxis and ferries.

The new regulations, which reflect extensive consultation with Canadians and the marine industry, represent a consolidation of nine existing sets of marine safety regulations into a single one that:

• provides clearer and more up to date language on required navigational safety equipment;
• requires vessel owners to have equipment to help reduce the risk of collisions that could cause pollution, like oil spills, and threaten endangered marine life, such as whales;
• requires lifesaving equipment that will send emergency signals and provide the vessel’s location.
• applies to over 23,000 commercial vessels of all sizes; and
• better aligns with international marine safety standards such as the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

The new regulations include broader requirements for automatic identification systems (AIS). The new regulations came into force on October 28th, 2020 and vessels that did not previously carry an AIS under the Navigation Safety Regulations must carry an AIS as of April 26th, 2021.
More information can be found at: https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/marine-safety/ship-safety-bulletins/new-navigation-safety-regulations-ssb-no-23-2020