Spill response on the West Coast: the agencies and their roles

The regulations and the enforcement of regulations for the protection of the marine environment in the event of an oil spill were reviewed. In September 1996, amendments to the Canada Shipping Act were introduced which increased the compensation available to Canadian claimants for maritime claims, especially for those related to ship-source oil pollution damage. The responsibilities of the various agencies involved with oil spills response and enforcement within the Department of Transport, the Canadian Coast Guard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Environment Canada were described. Polluters reporting requirements were summarized. Methods of managing the investigation and response together, within the legal framework from which the various agencies obtain their respective mandates, were demonstrated. A clear definition of the official mandate and priorities of each regulatory agency, setting out the role and expected duties of its officials when they attend on-scene during an oil spill incident, was urged. If implemented, this recommendation would go a long way towards reducing misunderstandings and confrontations during the initial critical phase of the oil spill response effort