No. H020/03For release - March 19, 2003
OTTAWA — Transport Minister David Collenette today announced that Transport Canada has given the Transportation Safety Board its third update on action taken to further improve the safety of small passenger vessels since the sinking of the True North II on June 16, 2000, in Tobermory, Ontario.
"Transport Canada has made considerable changes to its regulations, inspection and certification of small passenger vessels following the sinking of the True North II," said Mr. Collenette. "The department has addressed the Transportation Safety Board's concerns and recommendations, and has nearly completed related regulatory changes and initiatives."
Since its first and second updates in February and August 2002, Transport Canada has drafted proposed amendments to small passenger vessel regulations to require the stowage of lifesaving equipment in a readily accessible manner; the carriage of radio communications equipment for general purposes as well as to alert others in the event of a distress or emergency situation; and the carriage of appropriately sized lifejackets for every child on board. These proposed amendments are expected to be published in the Canada Gazette Part I in the coming months.
The department is also developing a technical guide on small passenger vessel regulations, standards and safe practices which will be distributed to small passenger vessel operators in the coming months.
These initiatives are in addition to Transport Canada's development and implementation of a training program that focuses on small passenger vessel inspections and seeks to instill a stronger safety culture within Transport Canada's inspector community. In addition, the department has developed a risk-based inspection framework that focuses on small passenger vessels, and an enhanced ship inspection reporting system to expand data to each commercial vessel operating in Canada, facilitate the targeting of inspections, and serve as a tool for managers to audit and harmonize inspection reports.
Transport Canada has also implemented requirements for safety briefings to be given to passengers on or before a vessel's departure from any location in Canada (which came into force in the spring of 2002); and for any life rafts carried by vessels greater than 15 gross tons and carrying more than 12 passengers to float free in the event of a vessel sinking (which came into force on March 14, 2002).
"We remain committed to working with the Transportation Safety Board and our partners in the marine community to maintain and enhance marine safety in Canada," added Mr. Collenette. "We also remain vigilant in our efforts to instill a stronger safety culture within Canada's marine community."
A backgrounder on action taken by Transport Canada in response to the Transportation Safety Board's recommendations is attached.
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Contact:
Marie-Josée DuboisCommunications,Ottawa (613) 993-0055
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BACKGROUNDER
ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THETRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Following its investigation into the sinking of the True North II, on May 11, 2001, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) released its accident report and made three recommendations to Transport Canada to:
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
require small vessel operators to take specific actions to improve safety, such as briefing passengers about safety equipment and emergency procedures.
The following is a third update to outline Transport Canada's progress in responding to these recommendations. Previous updates were issued on February 6, 2002 and August 22, 2002.
Inspection, Certification and Training Programs
Transport Canada has implemented the Small Vessel Monitoring and Inspection Program (SVMIP), a risk-based inspection framework that focuses on small passenger vessels. The SVMIP identifies vessels that may pose a safety risk, targets vessels with a history of non-compliance, establishes a presence in the marine community, responds to community reports and complaints, and enforces marine safety laws. Under this program, Transport Canada conducts first inspections, random spot checks and compliance monitoring and promotes self-monitoring by vessel operators.
Transport Canada has developed a new Ship Inspection Reporting System (SIRS), including a small vessel database, to expand information kept on record for each commercial vessel operating in Canada, including all evidence of non-compliance. This will facilitate the targeting of inspections and serve as a tool for managers to audit and harmonize inspection reports. The new system will be implemented in the spring of 2003.
Regulations and Standards
Transport Canada has drafted proposed amendments to the Life Saving Equipment Regulations to require the stowage of lifesaving equipment in a readily accessible manner. These proposed amendments are expected to be published in the Canada Gazette Part I in the coming months.
The department has drafted proposed amendments to the Life Saving Equipment Regulations to require passenger vessels to carry an appropriately sized lifejacket for every child on board. These proposed regulations would replace Transport Canada's existing requirement for vessels to carry at least 10 per cent of their total lifejackets in sizes that are suitable for children. These proposed amendments are expected to be published in the Canada Gazette Part I in the coming months.
Transport Canada is currently working with the Canadian General Standards Board to develop a new Canadian standard for lifejackets. This new standard will recognize several new categories of lifejackets that will enhance the safety of passengers by increasing buoyancy, improving wear characteristics and providing for increased thermal protection in cold water. The new standard will be in place by the spring of 2003.
The department has drafted proposed amendments to the Ship Station Radio Regulations to require all commercial vessels carrying one or more passengers to have radio communications equipment for general communications purposes as well as to alert others in the event of a distress or emergency situation. These proposed amendments are expected to be published in the Canada Gazette Part I in the coming months.
Transport Canada has amended the Ship Station (Radio) Regulations, 1999 to require commercial vessels measuring eight metres in length, carrying more than six passengers and operating on Home Trade voyages within Canada's coastal waters to carry a VHF-DSC radio. A VHF-DSC radio allows a vessel in distress to transmit a distress alert at the push of a button, and can provide an up-to-date position of the vessel. These regulations will come into effect on August 1, 2003.
The department is currently reviewing the need for more effective distress alerting capabilities on small passenger vessels using a risk management process. This review follows Transport Canada's response to the TSB recommendation for operators of small passenger vessels to be provided with the means to immediately alert others of an emergency situation. Transport Canada will provide an update on this review to the Canadian Marine Advisory Council at its next scheduled meeting in May 2003.
Transport Canada is developing a technical guide to provide operators of small passenger vessels with information on regulations, standards and safe practices. This guide will be distributed to vessel operators in the coming months.
Prior to the TSB's recommendations, Transport Canada took a number of steps to enhance small passenger vessel safety, including:
initiating a review of regulations and standards that apply to small passenger vessels to ensure that issues such as watertight integrity, weathertightness and downflooding are properly addressed;
improving the quality and control of inspections to ensure that deficiencies and shortcomings are promptly identified, reported and corrected;
developing a variety of technological tools for marine inspectors - such as checklists, computer applications and procedures manuals - to facilitate and streamline the inspection process;
implementing initiatives to improve the recruitment, training and monitoring of inspectors, while ensuring consistency across Canada; and
issuing ship safety bulletins to the marine community to cover a number of subjects, including guidelines for voyage planning, the stowage of inflatable life rafts with float-free arrangements, and Transport Canada's Small Passenger Vessel Compliance Program.
March 2003
