No. H012/02For release - February 6, 2002
OTTAWA — Transport Minister David Collenette today announced that Transport Canada has provided to the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) its first update on action taken to further improve the safety of small passenger vessels following the sinking of the True North II, June 16, 2000, in Tobermory, Ontario.
"Transport Canada is committed to taking the necessary action to help prevent tragedies such as the sinking of the True North II," said Mr. Collenette. "In the last few months, my department has taken a number of steps to amend existing regulations and to further improve inspection and certification processes with respect to small passenger vessels."
This update provides information on the department's progress in implementing safety initiatives first announced in May 2001 in response to the TSB report on this accident. In particular, Transport Canada is developing a training program that focuses on small passenger vessel inspections and seeks to instill a stronger safety culture within Canada's marine community. Transport Canada has also published, in the Canada Gazette Part I, amendments to existing regulations which require safety briefings to be given to passengers before vessels depart from any location in Canada, and liferafts, if carried, to float free in the event of a vessel sinking.
"The Transportation Safety Board plays an important role in helping Transport Canada to identify areas where safety improvements can be made," added Mr. Collenette. "We remain committed to working with the Board and our partners in the marine community to maintain and enhance marine safety in Canada. Transport Canada will continue to report publicly on its progress until all safety concerns have been fully addressed."
A backgrounder on actions taken by Transport Canada before and after the release of the TSB report is attached.
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Contact:
Marie-Josée DuboisCommunications, Ottawa(613) 993-0055
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BACKGROUNDER
ACTION TO FURTHER IMPROVE SMALL PASSENGER VESSEL SAFETY
On May 11, 2001, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) made three recommendations for Transport Canada, namely: initiate a review of the deficiencies in its inspection and certification processes; develop an approach to safety that would enable the identification and correction of all unsafe practices and conditions; and improve small passenger vessel operations. Transport Canada has since taken the following action:
began developing a training program which focuses specifically on small passenger vessel inspections and seeks to instill a stronger safety culture within Transport Canada's inspector community (scheduled to be implemented in March 2002);
on August 18, 2001, published proposed amendments to the Small Vessel Regulations and Life Saving Equipment Regulation, in the Canada Gazette Part I, which require that passengers receive safety briefings before vessels depart from any location in Canada (scheduled to come into force in February 2002);
on August 18, 2001, published proposed amendments to the Life Saving Equipment Regulations, in the Canada Gazette Part I, which require all vessels under 25 metres in length to arrange for life rafts, if carried, to float free in the event of a vessel sinking (scheduled to come into force in February 2002);
in the summer of 2001, began developing proposed regulatory amendments to require the stowage of lifesaving equipment so that it is readily accessible (scheduled to come into force before 2005);
on September 4, 2001, issued a Ship Safety Bulletin to the marine community (titled "Accessibility of Life Saving Equipment") to raise the awareness and importance of storing lifesaving equipment for rapid deployment;
in November 2001, at the Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC), raised the issue of emergency radio communications and the TSB recommendation to provide operators of small passenger vessels with means to immediately alert others of an emergency situation. The matter will be discussed in greater detail at the next CMAC meeting (scheduled for May 2002), when the Canadian Coast Guard will report on a related risk-assessment study it is currently conducting on future requirements for their shore radio stations on the Great Lakes; and
began developing a risk-based inspection regime for small passenger vessels (scheduled to be completed in December 2002). In the interim, Transport Canada will continue to implement a Small Passenger Vessel Monitoring and Inspection Program, in addition to the existing compliance program, to further enhance passenger and operator education, improve standards, and focus efforts and resources on small passenger vessels, until the new inspection regime is developed.
This progress builds on the action taken by the department following the accident. For example,
Transport Canada:
initiated a review of regulations and standards which apply to small passenger vessels, to ensure that issues such as watertight integrity, weathertightness, and downflooding are properly addressed;
improved the quality and control of inspections to ensure that deficiencies and shortcomings are promptly identified, reported and corrected;
developed clearer and more comprehensive guidelines to control and harmonize inspection reports;
developed initiatives to improve the recruitment, training and monitoring of inspectors, while ensuring consistency across the country; and
issued Ship Safety Bulletins to the marine community to address a number of subjects such as guidelines for voyage planning, the stowage of inflatable life rafts with float free arrangements, and Transport Canada's small passenger vessel compliance program.
February 2002
