This document was produced by the Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group (January 2004)

Domain Awareness
Responsiveness
Safeguarding
Collaboration

On January 22, 2003, then-Transport Minister David Collenette, on behalf of the Government of Canada, announced funding of up to $172.5 million over five years for a package of initiatives designed to further enhance the security of Canada’s marine transportation system and marine borders.

The Government of Canada is focusing its marine security enhancement efforts on 13 major initiatives, based on the areas for improvement identified following the Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group’s risk assessment:

Domain Awareness
(Foreign, International Waters, Canadian Waters, Coastal/Landside)

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans will receive a five-year continuance of the $2 million annually provided in 2002-03 for increased maritime surveillance flights. This new funding will ensure that the existing enhanced national marine air surveillance capacity can continue, as well as increase the size of the patrol area, allow for additional overage of commercial vessel traffic and enhance the marine intelligence available to the Canadian security community. 

The passenger and crew screening initiative will enhance Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) ability to screen, target and examine vessels, crew and passengers in order to interdict terrorists and illegal migrants. The capacity for marine interdiction will be expanded through the addition of marine intelligence and enforcement teams in British Columbia, Quebec and in the Atlantic provinces. Over the next five years, $14.4 million will be provided to CIC for this initiative.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans anticipates funding of up to $27,500,000 over 5-years for an Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Long Range Vessel Identification and Tracking project, beginning in 2004. Transport Canada will be requiring that vessels be equipped with AIS, in line with new international requirements adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Canadian Coast Guard will build and operate the shore-based component of AIS and develop a capability for long-range vessel identification and tracking, which will significantly enhance awareness of vessels approaching and operating in Canadian waters.

Also expected in 2004, the Department of National Defence anticipates funding of up to $43,100,000 over 5-years for a High Frequency Surface Wave Radar (HFSWR) project. HFSWR systems follow the curvature of the oceans’ surface, as opposed to emitting waves in a straight line, thus significantly increasing the range over which these radar systems can operate. 

Responsiveness
(Canadian Waters, Coastal/Landside)

The Department of the Solicitor General will receive $1 million over the next five years to increase counter-terrorism training by conducting one major command post or field exercise every two years. This initiative will help to improve inter-agency coordination and cooperation for responding to marine terrorist threats, as well as assist the department to fulfill its mandate under the National Counter-Terrorism Plan.

The intent of the National Ports Project is to disrupt and eliminate the capacity of organized crime to control ports and their ability to work with or support terrorist activity. In support of this program, the RCMP will receive $6.8 million over five years to establish a pilot project at the Port of Montreal, which will help to address the potential threat to national security posed by organized crime to national security. Establishing a full-time presence at the Port of Montreal will help to enhance existing links with other law enforcement authorities, port authorities and marine security implementation partners.

Additional resources will also enable the RCMP to increase Emergency Response Team (ERT) training in support of marine security and protecting trade along Canada’s coastline. To this end, the RCMP will receive $2.8 million in funding to cover the cost of four armed ship boarding training sessions a year. Improving RCMP capacity to board ships in Canadian waters will help to ensure the interception of both vessels and persons who pose a threat to security.

Safeguarding
(Foreign, Coastal/Landside)

Transport Canada will receive $3.2 million over three years for an initiative to expand the Canadian marine security regulatory framework in order to meet Canada’s international obligations — namely, the SOLAS convention and International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code — and to make improvements to the existing framework. This program will help to ensure compliance with international requirements, protect key trade relationships and maintain the confidence of Canada’s trading partners.

Transport Canada will also receive up to $14.5 million for the Marine Security Oversight and Enforcement Program, intended to monitor and enforce compliance with amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), including the mandatory portion of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. The program will enforce minimum standards for security on-board ships and at marine facilities, and thereby enhance the security of Canadians and the economy, and ensure that Canada is able to meet its international obligations under the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The Marine Facilities Restricted Area Access Clearance Program (MFRAACP) will protect the safety of persons at ports as well as prevent unlawful acts of interference with marine transportation by limiting access to restricted areas at marine facilities to those who have been granted clearance. 

The MFRAACP will be modelled on Canada’s successful Airport Restricted Area Access Clearance Program, which began in 1985.

Under this program, Transport Canada will receive a total of $11.8 million over five years for regulatory development, purchasing and installing new equipment, training personnel, reviewing and processing clearances and participating in the appeal process. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) will receive $7.07 million over five years to conduct site access clearance for marine facility employees wishing to access restricted areas. The RCMP will also receive just over $1.9 million over five years for conducting background checks.

Nearly $2.7 million will be provided to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and CSIS for an initiative to impose temporary resident visa requirements on all seafarers travelling to or through Canada, who are a citizen of a visa requiring country. Seafarers from visa exempt countries will be required to carry a passport in addition to their seafarer’s identity documents. CIC will receive $2.1 million for processing visa applications, and CSIS will receive $592,000 in support of the vetting process for visas.

The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) will receive $9.5 million over five years for the acquisition, installation and maintenance of equipment for the detection of illicit radioactive material being offloaded at Canadian ports. CCRA is examining various detection systems, including car-mounted detection systems, portal monitoring systems, gantry crane-mounted systems and hand-held survey meters.

Collaboration
(Foreign, International Waters, Canadian Waters, Coastal/Landside)


The Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group (IMSWG), which was established in October 2001 by Transport Canada, continues to function as the centrepiece the coordination of Canada’s marine security activities. Transport Canada chairs the group, which now comprises some 17 federal departments and agencies.

The role of the IMSWG is to co-ordinate federal response to marine security, analyze our marine system for security gaps and develop possible mitigation initiatives to address these gaps.

Since its inception, the IMSWG has worked to identify aspects of Canada’s marine transportation system that require review, focus on the assessment of security risks and mitigation measures for the marine system and monitor security requirements related to the International Maritime Organization’s protocols.

The IMSWG also manages the Marine Security Coordination fund, which provides resources for one-time or limited-period projects enhancing collaboration and coordination of federal departments and agencies. The Fund currently has resources of $16.2 million, which will be allocated over five years. To date, four projects have been approved for funding under this initiative, including the initial phase of the Maritime Information Management and Data Exchange (MIMDEX) project.

The development of the MIMDEX system, a DND lead initiative, will enhance inter-governmental departmental cooperation by fully utilizing available government systems to provide the most complete marine status “picture” and alert the interested departments of targets of potential interest. This system will maximize the effectiveness of individual systems regardless of departmental affiliation, and provide the ability to link all marine related issues into one composite picture, something that is not currently available.