Marine RD&D Request for Proposals (RFP)
The Transport Canada, Innovation Centre, Marine Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) group is issuing a request for proposals (RFP) on Buyandsell.gc.ca on November 8, 2019 to further research to enhance the safety, security, efficiency, and environmental performance of Canada's marine transportation system.This RFP will solicit research, testing, demonstration and deployment projects that will contribute to advancing Transport Canada's research goals under two core streams:
- Marine Mammal Protection: to accelerate the deployment of vessel designs and technologies that mitigate the impact of vessel-sourced underwater radiated noise on marine species, and; Improve the detection of marine mammals to reduce the risk of acoustical and physical disturbances.
- Clean Marine: to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) and criteria air contaminant (CAC) emissions from Canadian vessels through efficiency improvements and/or conducting fundamental research and validation of clean technologies or design changes.
Transport Canada anticipates contracting up to $21.1M under both streams for projects over the next four years. Should you wish to learn more about the Innovation Centre's Marine RD&D group or the RFP process, we will be hosting an information workshop on Tuesday, November 12 (08:30 AM - 11:30 AM PST) at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC. A webex option is available. Register via Eventbrite before November 7th.
BC government supports proposal for LNG ship-refuelling facility
The BC government is joining with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and FortisBC to establish the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering service on North America’s west coast. The project hopes to help address the growing need for LNG in the maritime sector. As shipping is expected significantly increase its use of LNG with the IMO 2020 sulphur regulations coming into effect, and BC is well positioned to benefit from this growth. The province is making a $25,000 contribution to a PwC study to fund environmental and social impacts analyses and a competitiveness assessment. The study is also building on work already done on risk, safety and demand.
Customs Notice 19-21 on PARS and RMD
Canada Border Services Agency has issued Customs Notice 19-21 to postpone the decommissioning date of the legacy Other Government Department (OGD) Release Service Options OGD Pre-Arrival System (PARS) (SO463) and OGD Release on Minimum Documentation (RMD) (SO471), to April 1, 2020. Any CBSA clients importing or planning to import OGD regulated goods to Canada that have not yet onboarded to the SWI IID (SO911) are encouraged to do so immediately.
City of Victoria’s Motion on Cruise Vessels
Yesterday Victoria city council passed a controversial cruise ship motion proposed by Mayor Lisa Helps and two councillors that would limit the number of cruise ships allowed to dock in the city each year, and prevent any long term contracts from being signed until the industry takes significant steps to reduce ship emissions and waste. BC Hydro has confirmed that it could meet the energy demands for shore power and would require a reconfiguration of the system to support the facility at Ogden Point.
148kg of Cocaine seized at Port of Quebec
The Canada Border Services Agency says it seized $7 million worth of possible cocaine at the Port of Quebec last week. Some 148 kilograms of the substance was found, in total. The suspected cocaine was found aboard the Navios Luz, a container ship which docked at the port last week. The ship, which flies the flag of Malta, was carrying iron pellets. So far in 2018-2019, the agency said, it has seized 1,430 kilograms of cocaine and crack.
BC-WA Clean Grid Initiative launched
As part of ongoing work to expand regional collaboration on clean energy innovation, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and BC Premier John Horgan announced a joint Clean Grid Initiative and Clean Grid Summit to be held in 2020. The Clean Grid Initiative will include forming an intergovernmental working group to share challenges and best practices and develop a clean grid action plan for the region. To inform the development of the plan, the working group will convene experts from government, industry and research institutions, and solicit input from stakeholders, tribes and First Nations, and other regional partners.
Cedar LNG Project assessment underway
The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) has accepted an initial project description for the proposed Cedar LNG Project, located near Kitimat, British Columbia. The proposed project would process and liquefy natural gas to produce approximately 3 to 4 million tonnes of LNG per year and include storage capacity for up to 250,000 cubic metres of LNG. The Agency invites the public and Indigenous groups to review the summary of the initial project description and provide feedback related to the proposed project. Comments received will support the Agency in the preparation of a summary of issues. Once completed, the Agency will provide the summary of issues to the proponent, Cedar LNG Export Development Ltd. Written comments will be accepted until October 20, 2019 and can be submitted online.
Government of Canada strengthens capacity to respond to marine pollution
Three contracts totalling $16.4 million have been awarded to Canadian companies to provide modern and efficient equipment to respond to marine pollution incidents. The contracts include:
- Aqua-Guard Spill Response Inc., Vancouver, was awarded $2.5M for 37 compact, portable, oleophilic skimmers used to recover spilled oil in both calm waters and the interior spaces of small vessels.
- PK Welding & Fabricators Inc., Oshawa, was awarded $7.6M for 23 mobile incident command posts with built-in incident communications capabilities.
- GRIFFIN Engineered Systems Inc., Dartmouth, NS, was awarded $6.2M for 220 floating fabric bladders and associated products and services used to temporarily contain recovered oil.
Government of Canada to fund world’s first low-noise and low-emissions tanker
The Government of Canada is investing $30 Million for the design of an LNG-fueled tanker with Vancouver-based Teekay Shipping. One of the goals of the project is to build a vessel that will be up to 90 percent quieter than traditional tankers, reducing its impact on local marine species, including the Southern Resident killer whale. The low-emission and low-noise crude oil tanker will be equipped with the latest proven quiet technologies and powered by Canadian LNG. To limit emissions and ensure the best outcome for marine life, the vessel will have specific design targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent and reduce noise by up to 90 percent, compared to conventional tankers.
Port of Prince Rupert receives infrastructure funding
Transport Canada has announced significant investments into three projects at the Port of Prince Rupert which will increase capacity at the Port and help move Canadian goods to international markets. The three projects totaling $153.7 million, include: building of a double-track bridge across the Zanardi Rapids, increasing rail capacity on key rail routes; providing additional rail capacity and reducing rail congestion for bulk and container facilities on Ridley Island; and, developing land for import and export logistics facilities near the Fairview Terminal and a container yard.
Canada commemorates Merchant Navy and Veterans Day
The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, released a joint statement to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Atlantic as well as Merchant Navy Veterans Day. The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest military engagement of the Second World War - from September 1939 until May 1945. By the end of war more than 25,000 trans-Atlantic merchant ship voyages, transporting approximately 165 million tonnes of cargo, had been completed under the escort of Canadian forces.
Government of Canada invests to restore and protect Great Lakes
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna has announced $1.06 million in funding over three years for 10 projects that aim to help restore and protect the Great Lakes. The funding is part of the additional investment of $44.84 million for the Great Lakes Protection Initiative announced in Budget 2017. The projects receiving funding tackle issues including addressing toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie and, creating and restoring the aquatic habitat in the bays and coastal wetlands of Toronto's Tommy Thompson Park by installing underwater reefs and managing invasive grasses.
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Dominic Barton named Canada’s new ambassador to China
The Canadian Government has announced that Dominic Barton will be the next ambassador to Beijing, a move which will end a months-long gap without a top diplomat in the country. Mr. Barton has been a prominent Canadian figure in China and in international economic affairs, with a long career at consultancy firm McKinsey & Company, where he served as global managing partner for nine years. Mr. Barton chaired the Advisory Council on Economic Growth and has worked directly for Chinese interests, as a member of the advisory board for the China Development Bank Capital Group and as an adjunct professor at Tsinghua University.
New penalties under the Canada Labour Code
Compliance and enforcement measures under the Canada Labour Code are undergoing a number of changes. Existing provisions are being clarified and new tools and administrative procedures are being introduced to create stronger incentives for employers to comply. The next step in the modernization of compliance and enforcement measures is the implementation of Part IV of the Code, namely an Administrative Monetary Penalty (AMP) regime and the ability to publicly name employers that have committed a violation. The regulations required to implement the new AMPs regime were pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I and are open for comments until November 22nd.
First videos of HMS Terror wreck
Parks Canada has released never-before-seen images and video footage of the HMS Terror as part of one of the largest, most complex underwater archaeological undertakings in Canadian history. The footage was taken by Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Team over seven days using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that explored 20 cabins/compartments on the fabled ship that sank during the 1845 Franklin Expedition.
BC seeking solutions to address abandoned boats
The provincial government is currently exploring ways to prevent vessels from being abandoned in the first place and find recycling solutions to keep salvaged marine debris out of landfills. Transport Canada’s Abandoned Boats Program provides funding to assist with the removal of abandoned and/or wrecked small boats posing a hazard in Canadian waters and the new Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act makes it illegal to abandon boats. Sheila Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo and parliamentary secretary for environment, will be making recommendations for a provincial action plan, in co-ordination with the federal government, to eliminate the environmental threats caused by abandoned vessels. Success stories and suggestions from British Columbia and other regions can be sent to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Shipbuilding invitation amended and extended
In response to industry feedback, the Government of Canada has made amendments to the invitation to qualify (ITQ) for a third shipyard under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Specifically, the changes reflect a previous inconsistency in the vessel dimensions that shipyards’ must be capable of building and launching. Given these changes, the deadline for ITQ submissions has been extended to August 30, 2019, to allow interested Canadian shipyards more time to prepare their submissions.