The primary goal of the National Marine Policy, established in 1995, is to improve the efficiency of the marine transportation system. One way to accomplish this goal is by placing port decision-making and operations in the hands of users and other local interests.
Building on the success of Transport Canada’s former Port Divestiture Program (1996-2014), the new Ports Asset Transfer Program (PATP) is a proactive and structured program for the sale or divestiture of 50 Transport Canada-owned port facilities to local interests.
The PATP includes engagement, sale and divestiture phases. During the engagement phase, Transport Canada will communicate with other federal departments, provincial/territorial governments, municipalities, Aboriginal groups and other interested parties to provide information about the Program. This phase will be followed by the sales phase, where Transport Canada-owned port facilities are first offered to other federal departments, the provinces and territories and municipalities. If there is no expressions of interest from these organizations, Transport Canada will then seek expressions of interest from other interested parties including Aboriginal communities, non-government organizations, the private sector, Canada Port Authorities, and individuals. The sales phase is expected to be launched in summer 2015.
The PATP includes specific timelines for negotiations and transactions with interested parties, and greater operational flexibility for new port facility operators including the possibility of developing port sites for desired alternative uses.
If there is no expression of interest during the sales phase, the divestiture phase will follow. This phase could include a grant and/or funding contribution from the Government of Canada to help continue port facility operations and maintenance.
Important notes:
- Interested parties involved in the divestiture phase should be aware that funding support may include a condition that the port facility remains operational for a specified timeframe.
- Parties who consider delaying their participation in the program until the divestiture phase should be aware that Transport Canada cannot guarantee a port facility’s availability after the initial sales period.
