Marine recommendations
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is responsible for advancing transportation safety. One of the ways it does this is by making recommendations to federal departments and other organizations to eliminate or reduce safety deficiencies.
Under our Act, federal ministers must formally respond to TSB recommendations and explain how they have addressed or will address the safety deficiencies. Using an Assessment Rating Guide (which includes definitions for the status of recommendations), the Board evaluates the responses and their overall effectiveness. Each response is assessed as Fully Satisfactory, Satisfactory Intent, Satisfactory in Part or Unsatisfactory. Progress made to address TSB recommendations is assessed by the Board on an ongoing basis.
For recommendations and assessments made before January 1, 2005, please refer to our annual reports.
See the backgrounder on the 2011-12 reassessments of responses to the Board's marine recommendations.
To read the full assessment of a recommendation, click on the assessment link.
| Number | Recommendation | Source report | Current assessment | Status | Watchlist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M11-02 | The Department of Transport undertake initiatives leading to the adoption of international standards for sail training vessels on the provision of stability guidance to assist officers in assessing the risk of a knockdown and capsize, and for the training of officers in the use of this information. | M10F0003 | Satisfactory in part | Active | |
| M11-01 | The Department of Transport ensure that those officers to whom it issues sailing vessel endorsements are trained to use the stability guidance information that it requires to be on board sailing vessels. | M10F0003 | Satisfactory intent | Active | |
| M09-01 | The Department of Transport advocate at the International Maritime Organization IMO effective measures to ensure that maintenance and failure records remain on board throughout a vessel's life. | M07L0040 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M08-05 | The Department of Fisheries and Oceans develops comprehensive safe towing policies, procedures, and practices that take into account all safety risks associated with towing small vessels in ice-infested waters. | M08M0010 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M08-04 | The Department of Transport include in the proposed Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations adequate measures to ensure that all fishing vessels operating in ice-including those participating in the seal hunt-are structurally suited for their operating environment. | M08M0010 | Satisfactory Intent | Active |  Watchlist |
| M08-03 | The Department of Transport extend the requirement for the carriage of voyage data recorders/simplified voyage data recorders to large passenger vessels over 500 gross tonnage and all other commercial vessels on an equivalent basis to those trading internationally. | M06W0052 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M08-02 | The Department of Transport establish criteria, including the requirement for realistic exercises, against which operators of passenger vessels can evaluate the preparedness of their crews to effectively manage passengers during an emergency. | M06W0052 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M08-01 | The Department of Transport, in conjunction with the Canadian Ferry Operators Association and the Canadian Coast Guard, develop, through a risk-based approach, a framework that ferry operators can use to develop effective passenger accounting for each vessel and route. | M06W0052 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M05-06 | The Department of Transport require Canadian passenger vessels over 500 gross tonnage to meet a standard of structural fire protection that ensures a level of safety equivalent to SOLAS-compliant vessels. | M03W0073 | Satisfactory in part | Dormant | |
| M05-05 | The Department of Transport, in conjunction with other stakeholders, review Canadian and international marine regulations respecting fixed fire-extinguishing systems to ensure that their design, maintenance, inspection, and testing regimes effectively demonstrate continued structural and functional integrity. | M03W0073 | Satisfactory intent | Active | |
| M05-04 | The Department of Transport ensure that the Board's previous recommendations M03-05 and M03-06 are immediately implemented. | M04N0086 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | Watchlist |
| M05-03 | The Department of Transport develop and implement performance-based standards to ensure that all liferafts deployed on Canadian vessels are capable of operating in severe marine conditions and, further, encourage the International Maritime Organization to adopt a parallel approach internationally. | M03M0077 | Satisfactory in Part | Dormant | Watchlist |
| M05-02 | The Department of Transport, in conjunction with the manufacturer, ensure that all present and future owners of Ovatek liferafts receive information that will allow users to properly de-water and right a swamped liferaft and encourage all users to practice these procedures. | M03M0077 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M05-01 | The Department of Transport submit a paper to the International Maritime Organization requesting a review of requirements for structural fire protection and fire-extinguishing systems to ensure that the fire risks associated with compartments containing high levels of electrical energy are adequately assessed, and that the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea SOLAS dealing with structural fire protection and fixed fire-extinguishing systems are addressed. | M02W0135 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M04-04 | The National Search and Rescue Secretariat, in collaboration with local authorities and organizations, promote the establishment of a system to monitor distress calls and to effectively coordinate Search and Rescue s to vessel emergency situations on the Ottawa River between Ottawa and Carillon. | M02C0030 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M04-03 | The Department of Transport ensure that small passenger vessels incorporate sufficient inherent buoyancy and/or other design features to permit safe, timely and unimpeded evacuation of passengers and crew in the event of an emergency. | M02C0030 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M04-02 | The Department of Transport expedite the development of a regulatory framework that is easily understood and applicable to all small passenger vessels and their operation. | M02C0030 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M04-01 | The Department of Transport take steps to ensure that small passenger vessel enterprises have a safety management system. | M02C0030 | Unsatisfactory | Active | Watchlist |
| M03-07 | The Department of Transport, in collaboration with the fishing community, reduce unsafe practices by means of a code of best practices for small fishing vessels, including loading and stability, and that its adoption be encouraged through effective education and awareness programs. | M02W0147 | Satisfactory intent | Active | Watchlist |
| M03-06 | The Department of Transport require all existing inspected small fishing vessels currently without any approved stability data be subjected to a roll period test and a corresponding freeboard verification not later than their next scheduled quadrennial inspection. | M02W0147 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | Watchlist |
| M03-05 | The Department of Transport require all new inspected small fishing vessels of closed construction to submit stability data for approval. | M02W0147 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | Watchlist |
| M03-03 | The Department of Transport, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Canadian pilotage authorities, in consultation with marine interests, develop, implement, and exercise contingency plans to ensure that risks associated with navigation-related emergencies are adequately addressed. | M99L0126 | Satisfactory intent | Active | |
| M03-02 | Transport Canada, in coordination with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, fisher associations and training institutions, develop a national strategy for establishing, maintaining and promoting a safety culture within the fishing industry. | M01L0112 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | Watchlist |
| M02-04 | The Department of Transport ensure that overall preparedness is appropriate for responding to vessel-related emergencies within the Seaway. | M01C0054 | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M01-03 | The Department of Transport require small passenger vessels to provide pre-departure briefings, and to be equipped with a liferaft that is readily deployable, lifesaving equipment that is easily accessible, and the means to immediately alert others of an emergency situation. | M00C0033 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M00-09 | The Department of Transport require small fishing vessels engaging in coastal voyages to carry an emergency position indicating radio beacon or other appropriate equipment that floats free, automatically activates, alerts the search and rescue system, and provides position updates and homing-in capabilities. | M98L0149 | Satisfactory intent | Active | Watchlist |
| M00-06 | The fishing industry and the Department of Transport give increased attention to small fishing vessel hatch covers to help ensure that these covers are watertight and can be effectively secured. | M98L0149 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | Watchlist |
| M99-02 | The provinces review their workplace legislation with a view to presenting it in a manner that will be readily understood by those to whom it applies, to help ensure that the enforcement mechanism and the regulatory regime complement each other. | M96M0144 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M99-01 | The Department of Transport coordinate with appropriate provincial authorities to conduct a review of existing safety regulations administered by both levels of government to help ensure that the regulatory provisions pertaining to workplace safety on fishing vessels and overall operational safety are harmonized and enforced to achieve their intended objectives. | M96M0144 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M97-01 | The Department of Transport implement procedures to verify that liferafts on all vessels including fishing vessels are serviced as required by the Life Saving Equipment Regulations. | M95W0013 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | Watchlist |
| M96-13 | The Department of Transport, in conjunction with other government departments, agencies, and organizations, immediately undertake a national safety promotion program for operators and crews of small fishing vessels to increase their awareness of the effects of unsafe practices on vessel stability. | M95W0005 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M96-04 | The Department of Transport require all small boats that carry fare-paying passengers to undergo safety inspections to ensure their seaworthiness and operational safety. | M93L0003* and M93L0004* | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M96-02 | The Department of Transport amend the regulations to require sight-seeing boats that carry fare-paying passengers to be fitted with adequate radio equipment and to report to the VTC, before departure, the number of persons on board. | M93L0003* and M93L0004* | Satisfactory in part | Dormant | |
| M94-33 | The Department of Transport establish guidelines for stability booklets so that the information they contain is presented in a simple, clear and practicable format for end-users. | M90L3033 | Satisfactory intent | Active | Watchlist |
| M94-28 | The Department of Transport establish guidelines for the operation of high-speed passenger craft taking into account local operating conditions and the overall navigational infrastructure. | M92W1012* | Satisfactory intent | Inactive | |
| M94-27 | The Department of Transport establish specific training requirements and qualifications for the certification of personnel to operate high-speed passenger vessels. | M92W1012* | Satisfactory intent | Inactive | |
| M94-24 | The Department of Transport require that procedures be in place to secure luggage, equipment and other potentially hazardous objects in passenger areas of high-speed craft. | M92W1012* | Satisfactory in part | Inactive | |
| M94-23 | The Department of Transport establish safety standards for the furnishing and finishing of the passenger areas on high-speed craft. | M92W1012* | Satisfactory in part | Inactive | |
| M94-06 | The Department of Transport require the installation of water level detectors in all compartments below the waterline on large fishing vessels. | M90L3034* | Satisfactory intent | Inactive | Watchlist |
| M94-05 | The Department of Transport initiate research and development into ways of ensuring the accessibility of all emergency equipment, including in capsizing situations. | M92C2007* and M92W1031* | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M93-04 | The Department of Transport ensure that federally inspected passenger ferries maintain an accurate passenger count and that such count is communicated to both the master and a designated person ashore before departure. | M90M4025* | Fully satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M93-03 | The Department of Transport ensure that liferafts on all federally approved or inspected vessels are stowed in such a manner as to permit easy manual launching under any conditions likely to be encountered by that vessel. | M93M4004* | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | Watchlist |
| M93-02 | The Department of Transport evaluate the effectiveness of its distribution practices for all marine safety information aimed at fishing masters and fishermen. | M90L3034 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive | |
| M92-07 | The Department of Transport expedite its revision of the Small Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations which will require the carriage of anti-exposure worksuits or survival suits by fishermen. | M90N5017 | Satisfactory intent | Active | Watchlist |
| M92-06 | The Department of Transport ensure that personnel who regularly crew closed-construction fishing vessels receive formal training in life-saving equipment and survival techniques. | M90N5017 | Fully Satisfactory | Inactive |
*These older reports are not available on the website. For more information, contact us.
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