No. H053/10
For release - May 14, 2010
OTTAWA — The Government of Canada today announced new regulations that will enhance safety and better ensure that passengers and crew of vessels, including passenger ferries, understand what to do during emergencies.
“Our government has taken decisive action to help improve the safety of passengers and crew on board vessels at all times,” said Canada’s Transport Minister John Baird. “These new regulations set the highest standards Canada has ever had for safety on vessels.”
The Fire and Boat Drills Regulations enhance safety through regulations requiring that an accurate count of persons on board a vessel be available for search and rescue workers. They also require passengers and crew to know when to abandon a vessel, and how to react safely and efficiently to an onboard emergency.
The new regulations make practice drills more realistic and efficient. There is increased flexibility in the way that drills are conducted, and in the types of clothing and emergency equipment required by crews during drills.
These regulations replace the Boat and Fire Drill and Means of Exit Regulations and conform to the new regulatory regime under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. They are the result of cooperation and consultation between Transport Canada, the Transportation Safety Board, the Canadian Coast Guard and marine stakeholders, including the Canadian Ferry Operators Association.
The new regulations were pre-published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on October 10, 2009. After consideration of comments received, the regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on May 12, 2010, and are now in effect.
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Contacts:
James Kusie
Director of Issues Management and
Parliamentary Affairs
Office of Canada's Transport Minister John Baird, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
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