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In September 2005, Transport Canada, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, began a study to assess the risk of accidental spills of oil products, used either as cargo or as fuel, from commercial vessels over the next 10 years, along the entire south coast of Newfoundland, between Cape St. Francis (east near St. John's) and Cape Ray (west near Port aux Basques), including Placentia Bay to the 50-mile limit.

To be completed by the fall of 2006, the study will provide Transport Canada with valuable information to assist it in the review of Canada's Marine Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Regime.

Once the study is complete, Transport Canada can assess the level of preparedness for an oil spill on the south coast of Newfoundland, given the environmental risk identified, and make necessary adjustments, if required. Transport Canada may also use the data gathered to further enhance existing programs to minimize the risk of oil spills.

This report is a summary of the comments heard during public consultation meetings held in Channel-Port aux Basques, Burgeo, Marystown, Arnold's Cove, Placentia and St. John's, from June 28 to July 7, 2006. (Other meetings are planned for the study area prior to the study's release.)

The purpose of the consultations was threefold: to communicate information about Canada's Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Regime and methods being used in the assessment, to identify any potential gaps in the assessment and to obtain stakeholder feedback on the assessment process.

At the end of each consultation session, it was reiterated that the results of the Environmental Oil Spill Risk Assessment Study would be used to review the effectiveness of the current Marine Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Regime and make changes as required. Further consultations with stakeholders would be conducted during the review of the Regime.

Included in this report are most of the points of view expressed as part of the discussions and the major issues or themes raised in the meetings. It should be noted that the summaries herein contain the opinions expressed by those who attended the meetings and do not necessarily reflect the views of Transport Canada.

Additional copies of this document and more information about the policy review may be obtained through our website at http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/Ships-and-operations-standards/nl-study/menu.htm or by calling our toll free number, 1-866-675-6863.

It is important to note that some of the discussions that took place during the public consultations were outside the scope of the study. Most of these issues have been included in the report and are highlighted in Appendix A, as they outline public concerns and relevant issues pertaining to potential oil spills off the south coast of Newfoundland.

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