43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMay 5, 2021432-00692432-00692 (Environment)PaulManlyNanaimo—LadysmithGreen PartyBCMarch 22, 2021May 5, 2021February 1, 2021Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned residents of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:That almost all of the community drinking watersheds on the east coast of Vancouver Island are privately owned, based on an agreement that was struck when BC joined confederation. The E&N land grant, which includes land from Campbell River to Jordan River, was partial payment to build the E&N Railway as part of the agreement for confederation.That all of the community drinking watersheds within the E&N land grant which are under private ownership have had water quality and contamination problems related to human activity including logging, mining, landfills and other industrial and recreational activities. Watersheds in Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Port Alberni, Parksville, Courtenay, Shawnigan Lake and other communities have been affected.That the E&N Land Grant violated treaty rights and aboriginal title.That public ownership of community drinking watersheds, as in the case of the Capital Regional District, has allowed water districts to control all activity in the watershed and allow for the natural forest to help filter and store water and reduce drinking water treatment costs.That clean safe drinking water is essential to life, is a human right and is fundamental to the economic wellbeing of communities and the region and the protection of community drinking water sources must supersede all other interests.Therefore, your petitioners call upon parliament to work with the Province of British Columbia, First Nations, Municipalities, Regional Districts, and land-owners to begin a process to bring community drinking watersheds on Vancouver Island under public ownership and control and ensure they are properly protected for community drinking water purposes now and for future generations, eliminating all industrial and other activity that is not essential to the maintenance of a pristine, secure source of drinking water.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable JONATHAN WILKINSONWater quality management is a shared responsibility among different jurisdictions.  At the federal level, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) plays a role in the management of pollution.  ECCC takes water pollution very seriously and continues to work hard to protect and conserve Canada’s water resources. Much of this effort is to apply and enforce Canadian laws that control pollution such as the Fisheries Act.ECCC is the lead department responsible for the administration and enforcement of the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Acthttps://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/F-14/index.html. These provisions serve to protect fish as a public resource by prohibiting pollution that could be deleterious to fish.  Subsection 36(3) is the key pollution prevention provision and prohibits the deposit of all deleterious substances into water frequented by fish, or to any place, under any conditions, where it may enter water frequented by fish.A deposit of a deleterious substance is only authorized under regulations that set strict requirements concerning the deposits.  There are Fisheries Act regulations related to a number of the sectors and deposits mentioned in the petition including the pulp and paper, metal and diamond mining, and wastewater sectors.  Deposits that are not subject to a regulation are subject to subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act.The management of drinking water is shared among federal, provincial and municipal governments. The federal responsibility lies with Health Canada, but its role is in protecting the health of all Canadians by developing the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality in partnership with the provinces and territories. These guidelines are used by every jurisdiction in Canada and are the basis for establishing drinking water quality requirements for all Canadians. Provinces and municipalities are typically responsible for the provision of safe drinking water.
British ColumbiaEnvironmental contaminationFederal-provincial-territorial relationsWatersheds
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 23, 2021432-00641432-00641 (Environment)PaulManlyNanaimo—LadysmithGreen PartyBCMarch 10, 2021April 23, 2021February 1, 2021Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned residents of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:That almost all of the community drinking watersheds on the east coast of Vancouver Island are privately owned, based on an agreement that was struck when BC joined confederation. The E&N land grant, which includes land from Campbell River to Jordan River, was partial payment to build the E&N Railway as part of the agreement for confederation.That all of the community drinking watersheds within the E&N land grant which are under private ownership have had water quality and contamination problems related to human activity including logging, mining, landfills and other industrial and recreational activities. Watersheds in Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Port Alberni, Parksville, Courtenay, Shawnigan Lake and other communities have been affected.That the E&N Land Grant violated treaty rights and aboriginal title.That public ownership of community drinking watersheds, as in the case of the Capital Regional District, has allowed water districts to control all activity in the watershed and allow for the natural forest to help filter and store water and reduce drinking water treatment costs.That clean safe drinking water is essential to life, is a human right and is fundamental to the economic wellbeing of communities and the region and the protection of community drinking water sources must supersede all other interests.Therefore, your petitioners call upon parliament to work with the Province of British Columbia, First Nations, Municipalities, Regional Districts, and land-owners to begin a process to bring community drinking watersheds on Vancouver Island under public ownership and control and ensure they are properly protected for community drinking water purposes now and for future generations, eliminating all industrial and other activity that is not essential to the maintenance of a pristine, secure source of drinking water.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable JONATHAN WILKINSONWater quality management is a shared responsibility among different jurisdictions.  At the federal level, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) plays a role in the management of pollution.  ECCC takes water pollution very seriously and continues to work hard to protect and conserve Canada’s water resources. Much of this effort is to apply and enforce Canadian laws that control pollution such as the Fisheries Act.ECCC is the lead department responsible for the administration and enforcement of the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Acthttps://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/F-14/index.html. These provisions serve to protect fish as a public resource by prohibiting pollution that could be deleterious to fish.  Subsection 36(3) is the key pollution prevention provision and prohibits the deposit of all deleterious substances into water frequented by fish, or to any place, under any conditions, where it may enter water frequented by fish.A deposit of a deleterious substance is only authorized under regulations that set strict requirements concerning the deposits.  There are Fisheries Act regulations related to a number of the sectors and deposits mentioned in the petition including the pulp and paper, metal and diamond mining, and wastewater sectors.  Deposits that are not subject to a regulation are subject to subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act.The management of drinking water is shared among federal, provincial and municipal governments. The federal responsibility lies with Health Canada, but its role is in protecting the health of all Canadians by developing the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality in partnership with the provinces and territories. These guidelines are used by every jurisdiction in Canada and are the basis for establishing drinking water quality requirements for all Canadians. Provinces and municipalities are typically responsible for the provision of safe drinking water.  
British ColumbiaEnvironmental contaminationFederal-provincial-territorial relationsWatersheds
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2021432-00494432-00494 (Environment)PaulManlyNanaimo—LadysmithGreen PartyBCFebruary 5, 2021March 22, 2021February 1, 2021Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned residents of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:That almost all of the community drinking watersheds on the east coast of Vancouver Island are privately owned, based on an agreement that was struck when BC joined confederation. The E&N land grant, which includes land from Campbell River to Jordan River, was partial payment to build the E&N Railway as part of the agreement for confederation.That all of the community drinking watersheds within the E&N land grant which are under private ownership have had water quality and contamination problems related to human activity including logging, mining, landfills and other industrial and recreational activities. Watersheds in Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Port Alberni, Parksville, Courtenay, Shawnigan Lake and other communities have been affected.That the E&N Land Grant violated treaty rights and aboriginal title.That public ownership of community drinking watersheds, as in the case of the Capital Regional District, has allowed water districts to control all activity in the watershed and allow for the natural forest to help filter and store water and reduce drinking water treatment costs.That clean safe drinking water is essential to life, is a human right and is fundamental to the economic wellbeing of communities and the region and the protection of community drinking water sources must supersede all other interests.Therefore, your petitioners call upon parliament to work with the Province of British Columbia, First Nations, Municipalities, Regional Districts, and land-owners to begin a process to bring community drinking watersheds on Vancouver Island under public ownership and control and ensure they are properly protected for community drinking water purposes now and for future generations, eliminating all industrial and other activity that is not essential to the maintenance of a pristine, secure source of drinking water.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable JONATHAN WILKINSONWater quality management is a shared responsibility among different jurisdictions.  At the federal level, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) plays a role in the management of pollution.  ECCC takes water pollution very seriously and continues to work hard to protect and conserve Canada’s water resources. Much of this effort is to apply and enforce Canadian laws that control pollution such as the Fisheries Act.ECCC is the lead department responsible for the administration and enforcement of the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Acthttps://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/F-14/index.html. These provisions serve to protect fish as a public resource by prohibiting pollution that could be deleterious to fish.  Subsection 36(3) is the key pollution prevention provision and prohibits the deposit of all deleterious substances into water frequented by fish, or to any place, under any conditions, where it may enter water frequented by fish.A deposit of a deleterious substance is only authorized under regulations that set strict requirements concerning the deposits.  There are Fisheries Act regulations related to a number of the sectors and deposits mentioned in the petition including the pulp and paper, metal and diamond mining, and wastewater sectors.  Deposits that are not subject to a regulation are subject to subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act.The management of drinking water is shared among federal, provincial and municipal governments. The federal responsibility lies with Health Canada, but its role is in protecting the health of all Canadians by developing the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality in partnership with the provinces and territories. These guidelines are used by every jurisdiction in Canada and are the basis for establishing drinking water quality requirements for all Canadians. Provinces and municipalities are typically responsible for the provision of safe drinking water.
British ColumbiaEnvironmental contaminationFederal-provincial-territorial relationsWatersheds
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 19, 2020432-00070432-00070 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 6, 2020November 19, 2020June 16, 2020Petition to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • 2020 marks the second consecutive year that widespread restrictions on chinook retention around the Southern BC coast will negatively impact the recreational fishery and associated industries;
  • Residents of Vancouver Island and the Pacific Coast are already experiencing economic hardship from a lengthy labour dispute within the forestry industry;
  • There is already a mark-selective fishery in place for coho on the Southern BC coast;
  • The states of Washington and Oregon have instituted mass adipose-fin clipping at their hatcheries and a mark-selective fishery for chinook salmon to sustain wild stocks and opportunities in the recreational fisheries; and
  • Vancouver Island and the Pacific Coast's current chinook hatchery production is enough to implement a successful chinook mark-selective fishery in certain times and areas around the Southern BC coast.
THEREFORE, we call upon the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, to direct DFO to purchase and begin operations of adipose fin-clipping machinery for the existing production of chinook hatcheries in the Pacific Region; and, that these new hatchery-marked Chinook may be retained as soon as they reach minimum legal retention size.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Bernadette JordanThe Government of Canada is committed to protecting and conserving salmon and salmon habitat for future generations. As part of fishery management measures announced to address declines of Fraser River Chinook, the Department has been engaging with First Nations, the Province of BC, and stakeholders to address a broad range of issues that are impacting Chinook stocks. As well, further consultation is also occurring with First Nations and stakeholders through the Department’s existing advisory processes. These issues include:•   conservation issues, including land and water use issues;•   fish habitat issues;•   the role of hatcheries to support rebuilding and the potential for marked fisheries; and,•   how seals and sea lions may be affecting Chinook salmon.The Department expects to evaluate recommendations and advice through open and transparent consideration of potential benefits/costs for a range of indicators (e.g., conservation, obligations to First Nations, feasibility/program costs, economic outcomes, etc.). The evaluation and indicators will be discussed with First Nations and stakeholders. Part of this work is expected to assess alternative fisheries management and enhancement approaches, including mark selective fisheries for conservation of Chinook.Regarding the marking of hatchery origin Chinook and mark selective fisheries designed to target harvest on hatchery origin Chinook with adipose fin clips, there are a range of considerations to be evaluated before a decision is made to proceed with marking of all hatchery origin Chinook production.Canada and the United States (US) have committed to maintain the integrity of the Coded-Wire Tag (CWT) indicator program for Chinook salmon to support the coast wide Chinook fishery, stock assessment, and international harvest sharing agreements. The program involves tagging juvenile salmon and sampling and recovering CWTs along the west coast of North America with data sharing among all agencies. In Canada, the adipose fin clip (i.e., marked) of Chinook salmon is reserved for hatchery fish implanted with a CWT as part of the Government of Canada’s Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) obligations. These tagged and marked fish are considered to be representative of harvest effects on unmarked wild fish. Because of this approach, implementing mark selective fisheries and associated adipose fin clipping of all hatchery Chinook including those without a CWT (i.e., mass marking) presents analytical, management, and resource challenges to ensure that Canada continues to deliver on its commitments under the PST.Work is currently underway to evaluate the utility of Chinook mark selective fisheries as a conservation action to enable a harvest opportunity on marked hatchery fish while minimizing fishing mortality on wild stocks and maintaining reliable stock assessment information. Though mark selective fisheries are meant to allow harvest of relatively abundance hatchery fish, all selective fisheries have an associated mortality on unmarked (wild) fish and in cases where a mark selective fishery is not properly designed, implemented and monitored, this mortality can exceed that of a non-selective fishery. The Department is also conducting a pilot project to mass mark (adipose fin clip) Conuma Hatchery Chinook in conjunction with genetic-based tagging to establish whether genetic techniques, combined with enhanced catch monitoring, will provide the assessment information currently derived from the CWT indicator stock program and determine whether this approach mitigates the impacts of mark selective fisheries.With respect to the Department purchasing adipose fin-clipping machinery, this capacity building is underway. DFO has received delivery of an Autofish automated clipping and tagging trailer from Northwest Marine Technologies in Washington State, and a second Autofish trailer is expected to be delivered in spring 2021. This machinery will build significantly on DFO’s Salmonid Enhancement Program, partners, and contractors existing capacity to adipose fin clip hatchery produced juvenile fish. The current utilization priority of the Autofish trailers is for PST CWT purposes, but they provide additional flexibility to increase adipose fin clipping should a decision be made to expand the implementation of mark selective fisheries.The Department continues to implement fishery management measures to provide a high degree of protection to Chinook stocks of conservation concern. While conservation is the highest priority in management of these populations, the Department is continuing to expand pilot opportunities for mark selective fishery retention in areas off major migratory corridors for at risk Chinook in 2020 to maintain fishing opportunities. Further consultation is planned as part of the post-season meetings in the fall of 2020 to support decision making on potential additional marked selective fisheries opportunities supported by additional mass marking of hatchery Chinook in the coming years.
AquacultureBritish ColumbiaChinook salmonHunting and sport fishing
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 24, 2020431-00242431-00242 (Environment)PaulManlyNanaimo—LadysmithGreen PartyBCJune 9, 2020September 24, 2020February 5, 2020Petition to the House of CommonsPetition calling upon the House of Commons to:Establish a permanent ban on crude oil tankers on the west coast of Canada to protect BC's fisheries, tourism, coastal communities and natural ecosystems, forever.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Marc GarneauThe Government of Canada has delivered on its promise to formalize an oil tanker moratorium on British Columbia’s north coast, one of the most pristine, biodiverse habitats in the world. The Oil Tanker Moratorium Act provides an unprecedented level of coastal protection around the waters of Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound and is the first of its kind in the world. It represents a precautionary approach that targets crude oil or persistent oil products that are likely to remain longest in the environment if spilled. This legislation complements important measures already in place, such as the voluntary Tanker Exclusion Zone.  Since 1985, loaded oil tankers servicing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System from Valdez, Alaska, to United States west coast ports must travel west of the zone to protect the shoreline if an oil tanker becomes disabled. These initiatives are important because northern BC does not have the same infrastructure or substantial response capability that already exists on the south coast of the province.More broadly, the federal government continues to work with Indigenous groups and stakeholders across the country to advance measures to enhance marine safety, protect Canada’s natural environment, and support economic development for all.
British ColumbiaCoastal areasOil tankers
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 24, 2020431-00256431-00256 (Natural resources and energy)JennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCJune 15, 2020September 24, 2020February 28, 2020Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:THAT
  • Kinder Morgan is planning to build a new heavy oil pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia - tripling the capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline system in BC to 890,000 barrels per day;
  • This new pipeline brings massive environmental and economic risk, but no substantial benefit to British Columbia or to local residents;
  • Approximately 40,000 barrels of oil have already leaked from the existing Kinder Morgan pipeline, including two major spills in Burnaby since 2007;
  • Kinder Morgan estimates this new pipeline will only create 50 permanent full-time jobs and has stated it may be built using workers from outside BC;
  • There is no known scientific technology to clean up the bitumen when there is a spill;
  • Kinder Morgan argued in its National Energy Board application that oil spills can have positive economic effects as "spill response and clean-up creates business and employment opportunities";
  • Oil from this new pipeline will not be refined in British Columbia, sold to local consumers, or used to meet Canada's energy needs - but instead will be shipped by tanker to foreign markets;
  • These raw exports will increase the number of oil tankers coming into the Burrard Inlet from eight to 34 per month, putting at risk our waterways and the industries dependent on them;
  • This new pipeline will pass through densely populated urban areas, residential neighborhoods, and the traditional territories of 15 First Nations;
  • The Liberal and Conservative Government have undermined the National Energy Board review process, resulting in many BC residents being unfairly prevented from sharing their concerns;
  • Trudeau betrayed Canadians by approving the Kinder Morgan Expansion under Stephen Harper's process.
THEREFORE we call on the Government of Canada to immediately act to prevent this new oil pipeline from proceeding through British Columbia.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Mr. Paul LefebvreThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views regarding the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project.On June 18, 2019, the government approved the TMX project based – in part – on the strong environmental protections that were already in place, as well as those required through the 156 conditions and 16 recommendations outlined by the National Energy Board (now the Canada Energy Regulator). In addition, the potential impact of the TMX project will be further mitigated through other significant efforts such as the historic $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan (OPP), as well as the Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.The government’s approval of the project was also informed by and based on a comprehensive Crown consultation and engagement process with Indigenous peoples and communities potentially affected by the pipeline and marine terminal. These consultations included meaningful two-way dialogue and led to new accommodation measures and conditions to address potential impacts, Section 35 rights and community concerns. This process has since been upheld by the courts.Canada will continue to engage with Indigenous communities at each and every step of the project in the months and years to come.Actions to support strong environmental protection and advance collaboration with Indigenous groups include:
  • Developing eight accommodation measures that focus on:
    • Strengthening Canada’s long-term relationships with Indigenous groups;
    • Enhancing marine safety;
    • Expanding spill prevention and response capacity;
    • Addressing the cumulative effects of the Project, on both land and water;
    • Protecting fish and fish habitat;
    • Minimizing the impacts of vessel noise on the Southern Resident Killer Whale; and
    • Studying the long-term impacts of the Project on the land.
  • Of note, the Salish Sea Initiative is a long-term investment strategy to support eligible First Nations in monitoring and evaluating the impacts of human activities on local marine ecosystems. This accommodation measure responds to concerns about cumulative effects from increased marine shipping. It aims to increase administrative, scientific, technical and monitoring capacity within local First Nations, and empower them to undertake stewardship activities.
  • Implementing the National Energy Board’s 16 recommendations will also mitigate impacts from marine shipping. This includes putting in place a program to monitor marine bird populations in the Salish Sea; developing a new regulatory framework for tug escorts in the area; and working through the International Maritime Organization to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping.
  • Co-developing the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee with Indigenous groups will foster collaborative, inclusive and meaningful Indigenous involvement in the review and monitoring of the environmental, safety and socioeconomic issues related to the TMX project and the existing pipeline over the project’s lifecycle.
  • Other measures will ensure opportunities exist for meaningful Indigenous economic participation in the TMX project. In fact, engagement with Indigenous groups has been ongoing since July 2019 to pursue opportunities that support the economic development of Indigenous communities in keeping with the spirit of reconciliation.
  • Under the Canada Energy Regulator Act, the project is subject to a detailed route approval process, which determines the routing within the 150-metre right-of-way. Through this process, landowners and other affected parties along the corridor can make their concerns known regarding such things as the specific route, construction methods, or the timing of construction.
As of June 4, 2020, over 86% of the detailed route for the TMX project has been approved. The Canada Energy Regulator continues to work with Trans Mountain Corporation (TMC) and affected parties to finalize the remainder of the route through the B.C. Interior and Fraser Valley.
  • The government also continues, through the OPP, to enhance emergency preparedness and response capabilities by supporting and conducting wide-ranging research into how diluted bitumen and other petroleum products behave in marine environments.
  • Additionally, Canada’s Ship-Source Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Regime is aimed at protecting marine environments and communities against pollution discharges from ships and oil-handling facilities. It has three distinct aspects:
    • Prevention: avoiding accidents and pollution incidents;
    • Preparedness and response: being ready and able to quickly and effectively respond to a pollution incident; and
    • Liability and compensation: based on the polluter pays principle.
The regulatory framework of this Regime is built on international and domestic cooperation, and is supported by more than 100 regulations enabled by almost 30 Acts, as well as international agreements and commitments.While the government’s approval of the TMX project reflects its commitment to environmental protections and Indigenous partnerships, this expanded pipeline also serves a strategic national interest and represents a clear economic opportunity – now, and for years to come.For example, approximately 4,900 workers have been hired to date as construction has begun in both Alberta and British Columbia. When completed, the project will also support jobs at the Parkland Refinery in Burnaby, B.C ., where product carried by the pipeline will be refined locally, and help satisfy domestic demand.Indigenous peoples will also benefit from new jobs and business opportunities through the impact benefit agreements they have signed with the proponent. Indeed, as of February 2020, the TMC had signed nearly 60 such agreements – valued at over $500 million – with Indigenous groups.Greater access to tidewater for Canada’s petroleum sector will also support existing workers and their families while opening new international markets for Canadian oil producers. At present, 99 percent of Canada’s exports of conventional resources are sold in the United States — often at large discounts. The TMX project will ensure Canada receives a full and fair price for one of its most valuable resources.Finally, it is estimated that the TMX project will generate $73 billion in increased revenues for oil producers and governments over the first 20 years. This new wealth and revenue can be invested in the clean jobs, technologies, and infrastructure of the future — and ensure Canadians benefit from opportunities emerging in a rapidly changing economy. In fact, the Government of Canada has pledged that all new corporate tax revenues, as well as all profits earned from the sale of the TMX project, will be invested in the clean energy projects that will power Canadian homes, businesses, and communities for generations to come.In all of these ways, the TMX project will support economic prosperity, enhance environmental protections and advance Indigenous participation.
British ColumbiaOil and gasTrans Mountain pipeline
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 24, 2020431-00273431-00273 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCJune 17, 2020September 24, 2020June 19, 2019Petition to the House of CommonsPetition calling upon the House of Commons to:Establish a permanent ban on crude oil tankers on the west coast of Canada to protect BC's fisheries, tourism, coastal communities and natural ecosystems, forever.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Marc GarneauThe Government of Canada has delivered on its promise to formalize an oil tanker moratorium on British Columbia’s north coast, one of the most pristine, biodiverse habitats in the world. The Oil Tanker Moratorium Act provides an unprecedented level of coastal protection around the waters of Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound and is the first of its kind in the world. It represents a precautionary approach that targets crude oil or persistent oil products that are likely to remain longest in the environment if spilled. This legislation complements important measures already in place, such as the voluntary Tanker Exclusion Zone.  Since 1985, loaded oil tankers servicing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System from Valdez, Alaska, to United States west coast ports must travel west of the zone to protect the shoreline if an oil tanker becomes disabled. These initiatives are important because northern BC does not have the same infrastructure or substantial response capability that already exists on the south coast of the province.More broadly, the federal government continues to work with Indigenous groups and stakeholders across the country to advance measures to enhance marine safety, protect Canada’s natural environment, and support economic development for all.
British ColumbiaCoastal areasOil tankers
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 24, 2020431-00278431-00278 (Infrastructure)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCJune 17, 2020September 24, 2020June 10, 2020PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS
  • The TransCanada Highway has long existed under an infrastructure deficit. Without expansion, major traffic congestion constricts the movement of goods and services to and from our ports, stifles the job market, and prohibits effective emergency services, having real consequences to residents' everyday lives.
THEREFOREWe, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to commit to the expansion of the TransCanada Highway through to 264th Street and partner with the BC Government to extend the expansion project beyond Whatcom Road, Abbotsford.
Response by the Minister of Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Andy FillmoreThe Government of Canada is pleased to respond to this petition.Through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan, the Government of Canada is committed to advancing infrastructure across five streams: Public Transit; Green; Community, Culture and Recreation; Rural and Northern Communities; and Trade and Transportation.As announced in November 2016 and detailed in Budget 2017, the Government of Canada will invest $10.1 billion over the next 11 years in trade and transportation projects.The National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) is a dedicated source of funding that will help infrastructure owners and users to invest in the critical assets that support economic activity and the physical movement of goods and people in Canada.The NTCF is a long-term commitment by the federal government to fund strategic infrastructure projects and activities that strengthen the efficiency and resilience of national trade corridors, including those related to Northern infrastructure.Since November 2015, the Government of Canada has invested over $1.1 billion in highway infrastructure in British Columbia, including the investment in high-occupancy lanes from 216 street to 264 street along Highway 1 in Langley.The Government of Canada works closely with provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous partners to fund infrastructure projects. Going forward, the Government of Canada will continue to work with these partners to advance its infrastructure plans to ensure ours is a nation of liveable communities.
British ColumbiaHighways
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledApril 11, 2020431-00123431-00123 (Environment)PaulManlyNanaimo—LadysmithGreen PartyBCFebruary 27, 2020April 11, 2020February 5, 2020Petition to the House of CommonsPetition calling upon the House of Commons to:Establish a permanent ban on crude oil tankers on the west coast of Canada to protect BC's fisheries, tourism, coastal communities and natural ecosystems, forever.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Marc GarneauThe Government of Canada has delivered on its promise to formalize an oil tanker moratorium on British Columbia’s north coast, one of the most pristine, biodiverse habitats in the world. The Oil Tanker Moratorium Act provides an unprecedented level of coastal protection around the waters of Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound and is the first of its kind in the world. It represents a precautionary approach that targets crude oil or persistent oil products that are likely to remain longest in the environment if spilled. This legislation complements important measures already in place, such as the voluntary Tanker Exclusion Zone.  Since 1985, loaded oil tankers servicing the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System from Valdez, Alaska, to United States west coast ports must travel west of the zone to protect the shoreline if an oil tanker becomes disabled. These initiatives are important because northern BC does not have the same infrastructure or substantial response capability that already exists on the south coast of the province.The Act requires a mandatory five-year review of the legislation that will enable the appropriate committee of Parliament to study the full application of the Act. This review will allow for new information, including evidence on technological and scientific developments, to be taken into consideration. It will also allow for consideration of the impacts of the Act on the environment, social and economic conditions and on the Indigenous peoples of Canada. It will provide the opportunity for all interested Indigenous communities, provinces and other stakeholders to express their views once the moratorium has been in effect for a reasonable period of time.More broadly, the federal government continues to work with Indigenous groups and stakeholders across the country to advance measures to enhance marine safety, protect Canada’s natural environment, and support economic development for all.
British ColumbiaCoastal areasOil tankers