Source: http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2011/2011-10-01/html/reg4-eng.html
Timestamp: 2018-01-20 02:46:34
Document Index: 374510297

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Regulations Amending the General Pilotage Regulations
Eight years have passed since the last amendments to the General Pilotage Regulations (the Regulations). Since then, the new Canada Shipping Act, 2001, and the Marine Personnel Regulations (MPR), came into force on July 1, 2007. The new MPR contain enhanced health qualifications for seafarers that differ from the Regulations. The Regulations must be harmonized with the new MPR so that there is only one set of marine medical examination standards in Canada and to reflect the new name of the certificate of competency.
The Auditor General Special Report of April 2008 concerning the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority found that the Authority currently does not have an effective mechanism to provide reasonable assurance that Canadian masters and deck watch officers have the competencies to ensure the safe passage of ships in compulsory pilotage areas. The proposed Regulations Amending the Great Lakes Pilotage Regulations would implement such a mechanism. However, to facilitate the transition for all officers already performing pilotage duty on the Great Lakes from an “exemption” regime for Canadian-flagged vessels towards a future “certification” regime, section 10 of the Regulations must be revised to add all appropriates certificates of competency required to allow for this transition.
There are two objectives for the proposed amendments: to ensure consistency with the MPR and their associated marine medical examination standards and certificate of competency nomenclature, and to help solve the “exemptions” issue raised by the Auditor General in the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority Special Report of April 2008.
The proposed amendment of Part 1 of the Regulations would harmonize the existing health qualifications for seafarers with the ones described in Division 8 of Part 2 of the MPR. The MPR enhance current medical requirements, and ensure that appropriate and qualified crewmembers contribute to the overall safe and efficient operation of the ships and vessels. The proposed amendments to the Regulations are listed below:
Section 1 — Interpretation — The definition of “certificate”, “deck watch officer” and “TP 11343” would be repealed, as they no longer apply to these Regulations.
Section 2 — Physical and Mental Fitness for Pilotage Duties — Paragraph 1(b) would be amended to state that licenced pilots (and pilotage certificate holders) must have a medical examination at least once every two years, whereas previously examinations were required annually. The reference to paragraph 3(2)(a) currently made in paragraph 2(3)(b) would be replaced by a reference to “3(2)” as a result of the proposed changes to subsection 3(2). Subsection (4) would be added in addition to paragraphs 1(b) and 3(b). It states that, despite subsection (1), an applicant or holder shall undergo additional medical examinations if the designated physician requires the additional examinations in order to monitor the physical or mental fitness of the applicant or holder.
Section 3 — Medical Examinations — Since TP 11343 — Medical Examination of Seafarers — Physician’s Guide would be repealed, subsection (2) would also be replaced with the following:
“(2) The designated physician conducting a medical examination shall
(a) take into account, when assessing an applicant or holder, the medical fitness standards referred to and set out in Division 8 of Part 2 of the Marine Personnel Regulations;and
(b) determine if the applicant or holder has depth perception.”
Section 5 — Validity of Medical Reports — Subsection (1) would be amended to state that “a medical report remains valid for a period of not more than two years beginning on the day of its issuance”, rather than for one year.
Section 6 — Re-examination — Because of the proposed amendments to section 2, subsection 6(2) would be rewritten as follows: “An applicant or holder who has reasonable grounds to believe that he or she is no longer physically or mentally fit for pilotage duties in accordance with subsection 2(3) shall immediately inform the Authority and request a medical re-examination.”
Section 8 — Aids to Vision and Hearing — Section 8 would be amended to reflect section 270 of the MPR. It now states that “a holder who is required to use an aid to vision or hearing in order to meet the medical fitness standards referred to and set out in Division 8 of Part 2 of the Marine Personnel Regulations, shall, while performing pilotage duties,”
Section 9 — Ranking of Certificates — With the entry into force of the MPR, section 9 would be repealed as it no longer applies to the current Regulations.
Section 10 — Basic Certificate of Qualifications — Section 10 would be repealed and replaced with a more concise classification of the qualifications necessary for compulsory pilotage areas in Canada. In subsection 10(1), a table would be created that outlines the compulsory pilotage areas (column 1), and the required certificate of competency (column 2). Furthermore, subsection (1) was revised to state that “an applicant who intends to perform pilotage duties in a compulsory pilotage area set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection shall hold the certificate of competency set out in column 2 or, if more than one certificate of competency is set out in column 2, at least one of those certificates.” This proposed re-organization is more clear, and easier to read and understand. The names of the certificate of competency have been updated to reflect the new names of certificates found in section 100 of the MPR.
In order to facilitate the transition from an “exemption” regime for Canadian flagged vessels towards a future “certification” regime in the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority region, subsection 10(2) would be added to allow Watchkeeping Mate certificate of competency for an applicant for a pilotage certificate if the individual is already performing pilotage duties and if he or she applies before January 1, 2013.
Section 11 — Radio and Bridge Qualifications — Section 11 would be repealed. With the new requirement of the MPR, before a certificate of competency may be issued, the individuals need to have valid radio and bridge qualifications.
Section 12 — Experience at Sea Qualifications — Section 12 would be amended to emphasize the term “accumulate”. Paragraph 1(b) would be rewritten to state that applicants must now have accumulated “at least 12 months as master of a ship or at least 24 months as the person in charge of the deck watch of a ship.” Subsection 12(2) would be amended to state that an “in the case of an applicant for a licence who intends to perform pilotage duties in an area in the region of the Laurentian Pilotage Authority or the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority, the accumulated sea service need not be in that area.”
Furthermore, a subsection (4) would be added to the section. It would state: “For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), a person is in charge of the deck watch of a ship if the person has the immediate charge of the navigation, communications and safety of the ship and holds a certificate that authorizes him or her to do so.”
Consultation in various forms has taken place with the parties affected by these proposed amendments. The parties consulted include the four pilotage authorities, the Canadian Marine Pilots Association and the Canadian Shipowners Association. Over the last two years, consultation took the form of meetings, as well as written, personal, and telephone communication with all affected parties. All parties support the proposed amendments to the Regulations.
The Regulations establish minimum standards that apply to each pilotage authority. These standards apply unless a pilotage authority adds to the minimum in its own Pilotage Regulations.
According to section 48 of the Pilotage Act, every person who contravenes or fails to comply with any regulation made by the Governor in Council is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.
Place de Ville, Tower C, 8th Floor
Telephone: 613-990-4350
Email: naim.nazha@tc.gc.ca
Notice is hereby given that the Governor in Council, pursuant to section 52 (see footnote a) of the Pilotage Act (see footnote b), proposes to make the annexed Regulations Amending the General Pilotage Regulations.
Interested persons may make representations with respect to the proposed Regulations to the Minister of Transport within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. All such representations must be in writing and cite the Canada Gazette, Part Ⅰ, and the date of publication of this notice, and be sent to Naim Nazha, Director, Marine Personnel Standards and Pilotage, Marine Safety Directorate, Department of Transport, Place de Ville, Tower C, 8th Floor, 330 Sparks Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5 (tel.: 613-990-4350; fax: 613-990-1538; email: naim.nazha@tc.gc.ca).
1. The definitions “certificate”, “deck watch officer” and “TP 11343” in section 1 of the General Pilotage Regulations (see footnote 1) are repealed.
2. (1) Paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(b) in the case of a holder, at least once every two years.
(2) Paragraph 2(3)(b) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(b) meets the medical standards referred to in subsection 3(2).
(3) Section 2 of the Regulations is amended by adding the following after subsection (3):
(4) Despite subsection (1), an applicant or holder shall undergo additional medical examinations if the designated physician requires the additional examinations in order to monitor the physical or mental fitness of the applicant or holder.
3. Subsection 3(2) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(2) The designated physician conducting a medical examination shall
(a) take into account, when assessing an applicant or holder, the medical fitness standards referred to and set out in Division 8 of Part 2 of the Marine Personnel Regulations; and
(b) determine if the applicant or holder has depth perception.
4. Subsection 5(1) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
5. (1) Unless a re-examination is required under section 6, and subject to subsection (2), a medical report remains valid for a period of not more than two years beginning on the day of its issuance.
5. Subsection 6(2) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(2) An applicant or holder who has reasonable grounds to believe that he or she is no longer physically or mentally fit for pilotage duties in accordance with subsection 2(3) shall immediately inform the Authority and request a medical re-examination.
8. A holder who is required to use an aid to vision or hearing in order to meet the medical fitness standards referred to and set out in Division 8 of Part 2 of the Marine Personnel Regulations shall, while performing pilotage duties,
7. The heading “Ranking of Certificates” before section 9 and sections 9 to 11 of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
Basic Certificate of Competency Qualifications
10. (1) An applicant who intends to perform pilotage duties in a compulsory pilotage area set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection shall hold the certificate of competency set out in column 2 or, if more than one certificate of competency is set out in that column, at least one of those certificates.
Required Certificate of Competency
The St. John’s compulsory pilotage area, in Newfoundland and Labrador
The Holyrood compulsory pilotage area, in Newfoundland and Labrador
The Placentia Bay compulsory pilotage area, in Newfoundland and Labrador
The Voisey’s Bay compulsory pilotage area, in Newfoundland and Labrador
The Bay of Exploits compulsory pilotage area, in Newfoundland and Labrador
Master 3 000 Gross Tonnage, Near Coastal
The Humber Arm compulsory pilotage area, in Newfoundland and Labrador
The Stephenville compulsory pilotage area, in Newfoundland and Labrador
The Halifax compulsory pilotage area, in Nova Scotia
The Cape Breton compulsory pilotage area, in Nova Scotia
The Pugwash compulsory pilotage area, in Nova Scotia
The Saint John compulsory pilotage area, in New Brunswick
The Miramichi compulsory pilotage area, in New Brunswick
The Restigouche compulsory pilotage area, in New Brunswick
The Charlottetown compulsory pilotage area, in Prince Edward Island
The Confederation Bridge compulsory pilotage area, in Prince Edward Island
Any compulsory pilotage area in the region of the Atlantic Pilotage Authority that is not set out in items 1 to 15
Any compulsory pilotage area in the region of the Laurentian Pilotage Authority
Any compulsory pilotage area in the region of the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority
Master 3 000 Gross Tonnage, Domestic
Any compulsory pilotage area in the region of the Pacific Pilotage Authority
(2) Despite subsection (1), an applicant for a pilotage certificate who intends to perform pilotage duties in a compulsory pilotage area in the region of the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority and who applies before January 1, 2013 may hold a Watchkeeping Mate certificate of competency instead of a certificate of competency set out in column 2 of item 18 to the table to subsection (1).
8. (1) The portion of subsection 12(1) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
12. (1) An applicant shall have accumulated the following sea service:
(2) Paragraph 12(1)(b) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(b) at least 12 months as master of a ship or at least 24 months as the person in charge of the deck watch of a ship.
(3) Subsection 12(2) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(2) In the case of an applicant for a licence who intends to perform pilotage duties in an area in the region of the Laurentian Pilotage Authority or the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority, the accumulated sea service need not be in that area.
(4) Section 12 of the Regulations is amended by adding the following after subsection (3):
(4) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), a person is in charge of the deck watch of a ship if the person has the immediate charge of the navigation, communications and safety of the ship and holds a certificate that authorizes him or her to do so.
SOR/2000-132