Enhancing emergency preparedness and response
The Oceans Protection Plan is Canada’s plan to protect our coasts for future generations.
We use this plan to advance our science, strengthen our partnerships, and improve how we prepare for and respond to pollution emergencies.
Launched in 2016, we renewed the Oceans Protection Plan in 2022. For the next phase, our work continues to build on what we have already accomplished.
Key accomplishments
Over 65 exercises
completed with key partners on environmental emergency response
Over 60 scientific publications
published on alternative tools and techniques for oil spill response
8 priority marine bird species
studied to better understand habitat use and environmental threats
16,000 km of coastal images
collected to document the shorelines of British Columbia
5 weather buoys
deployed to collect data on winds, waves, and at-sea temperature
3 priority shoreline areas
surveyed to document current environmental conditions
Next steps for the Oceans Protection Plan
We continue to use the tools and technologies we developed under the Oceans Protection Plan. We are building on the data and scientific research we conducted through the first phase of the Oceans Protection Plan. These influence and strengthen the scientific advice we provide during responses to pollution emergencies.
We are the Government of Canada’s source for up-to-date, consolidated federal science data and advice including:
- identifying important environmental resources like wildlife and sensitive ecosystems
- site-specific weather forecasting
- trajectory modelling that predicts the direction of spilled products on the water, and
- mitigating environmental damage and the clean-up of hazardous materials.
We rely on collaborations and partnerships to enhance this advice.
This is an evolving process. As more data becomes available from in-field and laboratory research, we will continue to build on our current tools and technologies. This will increase the range of services we provide to our partners in emergency response.
Additional information
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