Federal ministers respond to joint letter requesting emergency towing vessel

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Government       Gouvernement  
of Canada      du Canada 
 
 
 
 
June 17, 2022 
 
 
Christine Minney 
Cindy Wolf 
Jamie Stephens 
San Juan County Council 
 
Peter Luckham,  
Chair 
Islands Trust Council 
 
c/o Ingrid R. Gabriel
 
councilvm@sanjuanco.com 
 
 
Good day: 
 
Thank you for your letter on January 26, 2022, regarding your request for an 
Emergency Towing Vessel in Sidney, British Columbia. We apologize for the delay in 
replying. 
 
The Government of Canada is working to enhance marine safety through the Oceans 
Protection Plan. As you noted in your letter, this includes developing a National Strategy 
on Emergency Towing (NSET). One of the objectives of the NSET is to determine what 
emergency tow capacity is required both regionally and nationally. The strategy will 
consider regional needs, the perspectives of Indigenous peoples, partners and 
stakeholders, and lessons learned from the Atlantic Eagle and Atlantic Raven. 
Additionally, the strategy will be informed by a marine navigational risk assessment, 
among other inputs.  
 
The Canadian Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for marine pollution incidents that 
fall within its mandate and works with stakeholders from federal and provincial 
agencies, Indigenous communities, and municipalities to respond to marine pollution 
incidents. To carry out its mandate effectively, the Coast Guard has trained personnel 
and equipment strategically located across Canada, including the Salish Sea, to assess, 
activate, and execute an effective response to a marine pollution incident. 

 
 
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We appreciate your interest in enhancing marine safety in Canada, as well as your time 
and efforts to collect the information and studies listed in your letter. The Government of 
Canada is aware of this work and these studies will be considered throughout the 
development of the NSET. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
 
 
 
 
The Honourable Omar Alghabra, P.C., M.P    The Honourable Joyce Murray, P.C., M.P. 
Minister of Transport            Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the 
           Canadian Coast Guard 
 
 
c.c. The Honourable George Heyman, M.L.A. 
British Columbia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change

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