To Whom Does This Apply?

Owners or operators of ships involved in the coasting trade, and anyone involved in the marine transportation of goods and people, in Canada.

Summary

The Coasting Trade Act  regulates the use of foreign ships and non-duty paid ships in the coasting trade in Canada. The Act reserves marine transportation of goods and people between two points in Canada, as well as any other marine activity of a commercial nature, to Canadian registered duty-paid ships. Foreign and non-duty paid ships may also transport people or goods but they must have a coasting trade license obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency to do so.

The Act also provides for:

• the regulation of foreign ships and non-duty paid ships with respect to the coasting trade;
• the functions and powers of Transport Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Transportation Agency with respect to the Act;
• unfair practices;
• enforcement;
• offenses;
• searches; and
• the detention of ships.

DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this section is of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute advice for any specific fact situation. For particular questions, the users are invited to contact their lawyer. For additional information, see contact(s) listed below.

Quebec Contact(s):
See National Contact.

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National Contact(s):
Christine Perry
Director
Ferry Policy and Programs
Transport Canada
25th Floor, Tower C
Place de Ville
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0N5
Telephone: (613) 998-1839
Fax: (613) 998-1845
E-mail: perryc@tc.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/menu.htm