Abandoned and Wrecked Vessel Removal Program

The goal of the Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program is to reduce the number of abandoned or wrecked vessels located in federally-owned small craft harbours.  Contribution funding in the amount of $1.3 million over the next five years will be available to harbour authorities and other eligible recipients to undertake the removal and disposal of abandoned or wrecked vessels at small craft harbours owned by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 

This new initiative will cover vessels that are currently abandoned in DFO-owned small craft harbours and will support DFO’s mandate of operating and maintaining a national network of harbours for the commercial fishing industry and the broader economic interest of coastal communities.

Eligible applicants include harbour authorities (not-for-profit organisations responsible for the day-to-day management of small craft harbours), municipalities, indigenous organisations and other not-for-profit organisations. These applicants must be removing an abandoned or wrecked vessel that is located in a small craft harbour as listed in Schedule 1 of the Fishing and Recreational Harbours Regulations, with priority being given to commercial fishing harbours.

The Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program will provide support for activities that will result in the final disposal of abandoned and wrecked vessels.  These include:

• activities for the applicant to gain legal possession of a vessel;
•  activities to assess the condition and/or cost of removing and disposing of the vessel; and
•  the removal and disposal of the abandoned or wrecked vessel.

Eligible recipients may receive up to 100% of their total eligible costs for gaining legal possession of a vessel and/or for assessing the cost of removal and disposal of the vessel (to a maximum of $5,000), and up to 75% for activities to undertake the removal and disposal of an abandoned and wrecked vessel in a small craft harbour (to a maximum of $50,000 per vessel). This cost-sharing approach is similar to Transport Canada’s Abandoned Boats Program.

Emergency Response Vessel

In June 2017, the Government of Canada awarded a contract to Vigor to lease an emergency response vessel for up to a year with an option to purchase at any time during the contract. This vessel will primarily respond to search and rescue incidents, including on-water searches, and emergency responses to maritime distress calls and disabled vessels.

The Emergency Response Vessel (technical name: Response Boat –Medium) is a multi-functional vessel that is capable of carrying out other critical missions, including responding to marine pollution incidents. The vessel will also be used in exercises and training for Coast Guard personnel, First Nations, and other partners and stakeholders.

The Emergency Response Vessel is approximately 13.6 meters long and 4.4 meters wide, is self-righting and capable of speeds in excess of 40knots to effectively respond to all-hazard emergency marine safety and incidents.

Budget 2016 provided $23.6 million to reopen the Coast Guard Kitsilano facility in Vancouver as a Coast Guard Base with enhanced marine emergency response.

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