Q No. 014/07
For release - October 22, 2007

FINES IMPOSED FOR HYDROCARBON POLLUTION

MONTRÉAL – Two separate investigations by Transport Canada recently led to charges in Penal and Criminal Court followed by an imposition of fines. The Italian-flag ship Crystal Rubino and the Canadian-flag ship Catherine Desgagné were both found guilty of hydrocarbon pollution.

Under the Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations and the Canada Shipping Act, Judge Pierre Fortin of the Montréal Criminal and Penal Court recently ordered the Crystal Rubino to pay a $15,000 fine for dumping six litres of hydrocarbon residues in the Saint Lawrence River. The discharge occurred April 18, 2004 when the Crystal Rubino was moored in the Port of Montréal and transferring hydrocarbon residues to a tank truck.

On the other hand, Judge Anne-Marie Jacques of the District of Richelieu Criminal and Penal Court found the Catherine Desgagné guilty of dumping about 10 litres of oily water from its machine room bilges into the Saint Lawrence River. An $18 000 fine was imposed on the ship. The discharge occurred on July 24, 2004 when the ship was moored at the Sorel wharf.

Transport Canada is committed to ensuring that commercial shipping operations in Canadian waters respect the environment and to prosecuting marine polluters whenever there is sufficient evidence. The penalties imposed by the courts serve as deterrents to potential polluters.

In addition, under the Health of the Oceans Initiative, the Government of Canada strengthened its commitment regarding the national water strategy announced in the Budget 2007. With an investment of $61.5 million over five years, divided among five federal departments, the Health of the Oceans funds are designated exclusively to protect fragile marine ecosystems and Canada's ocean resources for coastal communities. Transport Canada will use its assigned amounts to increase protection of Canada's navigable waterways by fighting pollution from ships.

Transport Canada is continuing to work closely with other federal agencies, such as Fisheries and Oceans, the Canadian Coast Guard, Environment Canada, National Defence and Justice Canada, as well as other national and international partners to eliminate ship source marine pollution in Canadian waters.

For more information on the Government of Canada's efforts to fight ship source marine pollution, as well as other Transport Canada initiatives under Health of the Oceans, visit the following Web sites: www.marinepollution.gc.ca and http://www.tc.gc.ca/mediaroom/releases/nat/2007/07-h185e.htm.

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