Clean Coasts Act

The Clean Coasts Act makes two main changes aimed at better protecting Canada's marine areas from pollution and abandoned vessels. First, it amends the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 to clarify the rule against dumping substances into certain ocean waters under Canadian jurisdiction, confirming that such disposal is only allowed if it involves permitted waste or other matter and is done under a valid Canadian permit.

Second, the bill amends the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act to create a new prohibition: a vessel owner cannot transfer ownership of their vessel to someone else if the owner knows, or is reckless about whether, that person lacks the ability, resources, or genuine intent to properly maintain, operate, or dispose of the vessel in a way that prevents it from becoming wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous. This is meant to stop owners from offloading problem vessels onto people who will simply let them deteriorate and pollute coastal waters.

The bill also updates the enforcement section of that Act so that this new prohibition on irresponsible ownership transfers is included among the violations that can trigger penalties, alongside the existing rules it already covers.

This bill adds a new prohibition to the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act and makes minor wording changes to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

• New prohibited act — vessel owners are barred from transferring ownership to a person if the owner knows, or is reckless as to whether, that person lacks the ability, resources or intent to maintain, operate or dispose of the vessel so as to prevent it becoming wrecked, abandoned or hazardous.
• Enforcement link — section 4 adds this new prohibition (section 34.1) to the list of provisions in paragraph 90(1)(a) whose breach triggers whatever offence and penalty provisions already exist elsewhere in the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act; the bill itself does not state a penalty amount.
• Standard of knowledge — the prohibition applies not only where an owner has actual knowledge of the transferee's inability or lack of intent, but also where the owner is merely reckless as to that fact, meaning liability can arise without proof of deliberate intent.
• CEPA wording change — subsection 125(1) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 is restated; the introductory text of the existing prohibition on disposal of substances in Canadian marine waters is reworded, with the substantive conditions in paragraphs (a) onward left unchanged in this excerpt.
• No new body or regulatory power — the bill does not create any new office, agency, or rule-making authority; it relies entirely on existing enforcement structures under the two amended Acts.
• Oversight — the bill contains no reporting requirement, review clause, or sunset provision.