Border Action Plan

Regulatory Oversight Regime on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway Work Plan

RCC Marine Transport Working Group: Regulatory Oversight Regime on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway Work Plan

Canada Lead: Gerard McDonald, Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety & Security, Transport Canada

U.S. Lead: Peter Neffenger, Vice-Admiral, United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security

Preamble Text:

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway region is a vital, common way of access to the heart of the North American continent.  Canadian and US regulators share common objectives and have adopted very similar standards to apply specifically in this unique region.  Still, some regulations differ in certain instances. There is a need to establish a Canada-U.S. safety and security framework and arrangement for the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes system in order to align regulatory requirements.

Timelines and Deliverables:

Action Plan Initiative: Establish a Canada-U.S. safety and security framework and arrangement for the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes system in order to align regulatory requirements.

Deliverable outcome: Establish a framework to jointly address issues related to the safety (including the protection of the environment) and security of vessels operating within the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, in order to eliminate duplicative inspections and eliminate impediments to trade. Priority areas should include: Expansion of the Joint Initial Verification Program in the St. Lawrence Seaway; Explore feasibility of mutual recognition of regulatory oversight regimes for vessels operating exclusively on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Action Item 1: Explore the feasibility of developing an expanded Joint Initial Verification Program (JIVP) to jointly address issues related to the safety (including the protection of the environment) and security of vessels entering the St. Lawrence Seaway. This will involve a pilot program to test concepts and provide recommendations by March 2013, for a course of action that eliminates unnecessary impediments to trade and duplication of inspection, screening and reporting regimes. 

  • 3-6 Months: Establish Working Group with Terms of Reference.
  • Complete environmental scan / current state analysis.
  • Identify desired end state.
  • Complete gap analysis.
  • Consultation with key stakeholders, as required.
  • Identify system solutions and develop recommendations.
  • Develop pilot project.
  • 6-12 Months: Identify appropriate venues where both regulatory agencies can meet with and solicit stakeholders input as appropriate.
  • Conduct pilot project.
  • 12-18 Months: Complete analysis and draft report.
  • Submit options and recommendations to RCC leads for decision on those solutions which will require legislative, regulatory, policy and procedural amendments and implement those which can be put into place through amendments to current practices and protocols.
  • Beyond 18 Months: Initiate and implement identified legislative, regulatory, policy and procedural amendments in order to establish ongoing alignment between both countries.

Action Item 2: Explore the feasibility of mutual recognition of regulatory oversight regimes for our respective domestic fleets on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. The Working Group will provide recommendations by March 2013, for a course of action that eliminates unnecessary impediments to trade and duplication of inspection, screening and reporting regimes. This may involve pilot programs to test system solutions.  

  • 3-6 Months: Establish Working Group with Terms of Reference for a regulatory cooperation framework between Canada and the U.S. regarding the safety and security of vessels:
  • Complete environmental scan / current state analysis.
  • Identify desired end state.
  • Complete gap analysis.
  • Consultation with key stakeholders, as required.
  • Identify system solutions and develop recommendations.
  • Identify and develop solutions to test.
  • 6-12 Months: Identify appropriate venues where both regulatory agencies can meet with and solicit stakeholders input as appropriate.
  • Draft initial proposal for cooperation arrangement.
  • Conduct tests and pilots as appropriate.
  • 12-18 Months: Complete analysis and draft report.
  • Submit options and recommendations to RCC leads for a mutual recognition arrangement and assess solutions which will require legislative, regulatory, policy and procedural amendments and implement those which can be put into place through amendments to current practices and protocols.
  • Establish a governance mechanism for management of the arrangement.
  • Beyond 18 Months: Initiate and implement identified legislative, regulatory, policy and procedural amendments in order to establish a permanent mutual recognition arrangement.

Contact Information:

Transport Canada: Sylvain Lachance, Executive Director, Legislative, Regulatory and International Affairs; Marine Safety and Security, sylvain.lachance@tc.gc.ca  

U.S. Coast Guard: Captain Andrew Tucci, Chief of Port and Facility Compliance, Andrew.E.Tucci@uscg.mil