The Regulatory Services Section is responsible for the processing and tracking
of all Transport Canada marine legislation, which includes statutes, regulations,
orders and procedures, pertaining to all aspects of marine matters. The section
ensures legislation and regulations are developed according to established standards
and provides a reference check and editing function for submissions forwarded for
approval. It also takes care of minor miscellaneous amendments as well as Standing Joint
Committee representations.
One major project within the mandate of Regulatory Services is the Canada Shipping
Act (CSA) 2001 Regulatory Reform Project. A major milestone was reached on
November 1, 2001 when the Act received Royal Assent.
The task now before the Regulatory Reform Project Team is to effect the
reform of existing
regulations to bring them into compliance with the new Act so that it may come
into force.
The Regulatory Services section is also home to both the Canadian Marine Advisory
Council (CMAC) Secretariat and the International Affairs Secretariat.
CMAC is a consultative body, representative of parties that have a recognized
interest in shipping, navigation and marine pollution matters. It consists of
both national and regional sessions.
The CMAC Secretariat provides support to senior members of the Department
of Transport who coordinate and chair the biennial conference. The role of this council
is to advise the Department on matters that fall within its mandate, such as, but
not necessarily restricted to:
- the development and acceptance of international conventions, regulations,
codes, standards, and recommendations;
- the development and implementation of national statutes, regulations, codes,
standards, recommendations and procedures;
- operations and services; and,
- any other matters related to marine safety, marine services and marine
pollution prevention.
The IMO is a specialized agency
of the United Nations which, among other things, focuses on the improvement of
safety at sea and the prevention of pollution from ships. IMO also deals with
international aspects of liability and compensation and the facilitation of maritime
traffic.
In order to achieve these objectives, representatives of the 156 IMO Member
States develop and promote the adoption of conventions, protocols, codes and
recommendations concerned with the above.
IMO Committee meetings are also attended by intergovernmental organizations
and observers, but these attendees are not allowed to vote on matters for decision.
The International Affairs Secretariat coordinates conferences and liaises with
international bodies to support Canada's presence at the IMO.
The Quality Assurance section was created as part of Marine Safety's
commitment to ensuring consistent and excellent service delivery in all areas.
This section is responsible for audit policy and conducts internal and external
audits. It also carries out the Branch's resource management function.
Regulatory Services and Quality Assurance Home Page
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