Small Craft Harbours Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program

Overview

In November 2016, Canada launched a $1.5 billion national Oceans Protection Plan. with $1.5 billion in funding for five years. In 2022, a new investment of $2 billion over nine years was announced to continue OPP 2.0. OPP 2.0 is a renewed and expanded plan based on OPP 1.0 that aims to :

• enhance the protection and restoration of vulnerable marine ecosystems and wildlife
• improve the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of Canada's marine supply chains and mitigate their impacts on the environment, including by advancing research on marine pollution, ecosystems, and wildlife
• better manage marine traffic navigation off our coasts and marine incidents of all types
• advance partnerships and training opportunities for Indigenous and coastal communities to incorporate their expertise and experiences in various aspects of marine safety and ecosystem protection

The plan includes a comprehensive program to reduce abandoned and wrecked vessels and to minimize the associated risks of environmental harm.

The Government of Canada has launched 2 programs to address legacy vessels of concern: Transport Canada's Abandoned Boats Program and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' Small Craft Harbours (SCH) Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program.

Program summary

The SCH Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program under OPP 2.0 will provide up to 250 thousand dollar yearly to Harbour Authorities and other eligible recipients to remove and dispose of abandoned and/or wrecked vessels located in small craft harbours owned by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Eligible recipients may receive up to 100% of their total eligible costs for gaining legal possession of a vessel and for assessing the cost of removal and disposal of the vessel, and up to 75% for activities to undertake the removal and disposal of an abandoned and wrecked vessel in a small craft harbour.

Application deadlines

Annual deadline for applications for activities to be undertaken is April 15.