The Canadian Coast Guard now has the authority to issue fines to owners of boats deemed dangerous.
This measure seeks to limit the number of abandoned ships and wrecks that pollute the environment and damage the landscape.
Almost 1,500 wrecks
In some coastal communities, particularly in the east of the country, this situation can actually become a damaging and costly problem for the environment.
The community of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia knows something about this. HMCS Cormorant, decommissioned by the Coast Guard, remained docked in Bridgewater Harbor from 2000 to 2020.
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The former HMCS Cormorant remained in Bridgewater harbor for 20 years. In 2015, the wreck sank and landed on its side. (archive photo)
Photo: CBC / Molly Segal
The old ship, full of fuel and polluting fluids, partially sank. Removing the wreck cost taxpayers $1.8 million, plus another million to repair the damage the ship caused in the harbor.
In Shelburne, the wreck of the Farley Mowat and the 2,000 liters of pollutants it contained so angered citizens that they ate cake to celebrate when the carcass was finally removed.
David Mitchell, the mayor of Bridgewater, points out that two abandoned ships have been removed from his community in the last decade. But there are still three left.
The Canadian Coast Guard registry lists 1,489 wrecks and abandoned or dangerous boats in Canada, including 148 in the Atlantic provinces.
What powers does the Coast Guard have?
The Coast Guard can now issue tickets to the owners of these boats.
Penalties can be up to $50,000 for individuals and up to $250,000 for businesses.
The Coast Guard may intervene by issuing an instruction to the owner to intervene. And if they don’t comply, in a few cases, sanctions can be imposed on responsible owners, says Annie Verville, director of compliance and enforcement at the Canadian Coast Guard.
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The Farley Mowat was towed away on July 26, 2017 after rusting for nearly four years in the port of Shelburne, Nova Scotia.
Photo: CBC
In addition, criminal prosecutions may be initiated. They can result in a maximum fine of $1 million for an individual or $6 million for a corporation.
The defendants also face a maximum prison sentence of three years.
Bridgewater’s mayor hopes these measures will help curb this problem almost everywhere along the country’s coasts.
According to the report by Paul Légère