Harper government invests in safe marine shipping - Minister Raitt announces funding for the Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping

OTTAWA, July 6, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, along with John Weston, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver — Sunshine Coast — Sea to Sky Country, announced today that the Government of Canada is providing $3.7M to Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping to help establish the Vancouver-based Centre and support its initial operations.

The activities of the Centre will support the government's commitment to protect Canada's coasts, and to enhance marine safety through the World-Class Tanker Safety System, which aims to strengthen ship-source spill prevention, preparedness and response, and liability and compensation. The Centre's mandate is to be the leading, independent source of evidence-based information on best practices for marine shipping, including the shipping of natural resource products, and to promote and facilitate research that supports the highest standards for safe and responsible marine transportation.

Specifically, the Centre will:

• Serve as a trusted, independent source for information on the safe handling and shipping of oil and gas products, including liquefied natural gas;
• Identify and facilitate research related to the shipment of resource products;
• Provide a forum for sharing best practices and dialogue with the public, Aboriginal groups and a broad range of stakeholders; and
• Provide a structured framework for the ongoing research and monitoring of environmental and social impacts, related to the shipment of natural resource products, and to make recommendations on how spill risks can be assessed and communicated to the public.

Quick Facts

• The Centre is an independent, not-for-profit organization, governed by a board of directors that is responsible for setting its strategic direction and priorities, and overseeing its operations.
• Board members include:
  • Kim Baird, former Chief of Tsawwassen First Nation;
  • Duncan Wilson, Vice-President Corporate Social Responsibility at Port Metro Vancouver;
  • Kathryn Moran, President and CEO of Ocean Networks Canada at the University of Victoria;
  • Bud Streeter, President of Lloyd's Register Canada, in Halifax;
  • Roger Thomas, a retired Executive Vice-President at Nexen,
  • John Woodward, a partner in Woodcorp Investments Ltd. and a board member of Pacific Salmon Foundation;
  • John Hepburn, Vice-President, Research & International at the University of B.C.
  • Lindsay Gordon, Chancellor of the University of B.C. and former President & CEO of HSBC Bank Canada
  • Christopher Causton, former Mayor, Oak Bay, B.C.
• In addition to funding from the Government of Canada, the Centre is receiving contributions from industry (Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers), and the Government of Alberta

Quotes

"Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping will make a valuable contribution to the government's commitment to protect Canada's coasts and to strengthen marine safety through the World-Class Tanker Safety System initiative.  As an independent body governed by its own board of directors, Clear Seas will provide an important independent voice on Canada's shipping regime."
The Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport

"Vancouver continues to make its mark as the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and this government recognizes that as we increase in commerce and traffic as a central hub for business, we must also continuously improve and strengthen  our marine safety. This funding will help us to do that, at the highest standard, to ensure the safe and sustainable shipping of commodities in these valued waters." 
John Weston
Member of Parliament for West Vancouver — Sunshine Coast — Sea to Sky Country

Associated Link
http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/marinesafety/world-class-tanker-safety.pdf

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SOURCE Transport Canada

For further information: Zach Segal, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, 613-991-0700; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055