Effective from 28 October, Transport Canada has introduced new navigation safety regulations, modernizing the existing regulations into four parts.
All the following regulations, except the Steering Appliances and Equipment Regulations, have been cancelled:
Part 1: Navigation
- Charts and Nautical Publication Regulations, 1995
- Navigation Safety Regulations
- Steering Appliances and Equipment Regulations (partial consolidation)
- Voyage Data Recorder Regulations
Part 2: Radiocommunications
- Ship Station (Radio) Regulations, 1999
- Ship Station (Radio) Technical Regulations, 1999
- VHF Radiotelephone Practices and Procedures Regulations
Part 3: Limitations and prohibitions
- Anchorage Regulations
- Burlington Canal Regulations
- St. Clair and Detroit River Navigation Safety Regulations
Part 4: Transitional provision, consequential amendments, repeals, and coming into force
Key changes
The following list provides the key amendments of the new regulations:
- Incorporation by reference of the chapter V (Safety of Navigation) of the SOLAS Convention (Section 103 and 104), this includes the requirement for a Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System
- Electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) requirement onboard new vessels (Section 117)
Broader requirements for automatic identification systems (AIS) (Section 118) - Digital Selective Calling (DSC) capability for VHF radiotelephones (Section 204)
- New requirements for some vessels to carry a two-way communication device outside sea area A1 (Section 206)
- Incorporation by reference of the chapter IV (Radiocommunications) of the SOLAS Convention (Section 207)
- New requirements for carrying of 406 Mhz emergency beacons (Section 209) for vessels that operate outside sheltered waters
- New requirement for all vessels owners to make sure that their beacon registration information is up-to-date (Section 228)
The new regulations came into force on 28 October, but there are also some exceptions. Newbuilds as of 28 October 2021, must carry an ECDIS (Section 117). In addition, the BNWAS carriage requirement for vessels that are subject to the incorporation by reference of SOLAS Chapter V and engage solely on domestic voyages applies as of 1st January 2022.
Finally, vessels that did not previously carry an AIS under the Navigation Safety Regulations must carry an AIS (Section 118) as of April, 26th 2021.
