Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (S.C. 2001, c. 26)

Certificates

Marginal note:Positions on board Canadian vessels

87 Every person who is employed on board a Canadian vessel in a position in respect of which a certificate is required under this Part shall hold the certificate and comply with its terms and conditions.

Marginal note:Eligibility

• 88 (1) Only a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act may hold a certificate of competency that is issued under this Part.

• Marginal note:Foreign certificates of competency

  (2) The Minister may, on application by a person described in subsection (1), issue a certificate of competency in respect of certain requirements under this Act to the holder of a certificate of competency that was issued under the laws of a foreign state if the Minister is satisfied that the requirements under those laws for the foreign certificate meet or exceed the requirements under this Act. Before issuing the certificate, the Minister may require that the holder take an examination set by the Minister.

Marginal note:Acceptance of foreign certificates

• 89 (1) If the government of a foreign state has entered into a reciprocal arrangement with the Government of Canada to accept certificates of competency issued under this Part in lieu of certificates of competency of that state and if the Minister is satisfied that the requirements under the laws of the foreign state for a certificate of competency meet or exceed the requirements under this Act, the Minister may direct, subject to any conditions that the Minister specifies, that the foreign certificate may be accepted in lieu of a certificate of competency issued under this Part.

• Marginal note:Suspension or cancellation

  (2) A foreign certificate that is accepted under subsection (1) may, in so far only as concerns its validity in Canada, be suspended or cancelled by the Minister as though it were a Canadian maritime document, and the holder of any certificate so suspended or cancelled must deliver it to the Minister, who must then return it to the authority that issued it.

Medical or Optometric Information

Marginal note:Minister to be provided with information

• 90 (1) If a physician or an optometrist believes on reasonable grounds that the holder of a certificate issued under this Part has a medical or optometric condition that is likely to constitute a hazard to maritime safety, the physician or optometrist shall inform the Minister without delay of that opinion and the reasons for it.

• Marginal note:Patient to advise

  (2) The holder of a certificate issued under this Part in respect of which standards of medical or optometric fitness are required shall, before being examined by a physician or an optometrist, advise the physician or optometrist that they hold the certificate.

• Marginal note:Use by Minister

  (3) The Minister may use any information provided under subsection (1) for the purpose of determining whether the holder of a certificate meets the requirements in respect of that certificate.

• Marginal note:No proceedings shall lie

  (4) No legal, disciplinary or other proceedings lie against a physician or optometrist for anything they do in good faith in compliance with this section.

• Marginal note:Deemed consent

  (5) The holder of a certificate is deemed, for the purposes of this section, to have consented to the Minister being informed under subsection (1) in the circumstances referred to in that subsection.

Articles of Agreement, Discharge and Record of Sea Service

Marginal note:Articles of agreement

• 91 (1) The master of a vessel who is required by the regulations made under this Part to enter into articles of agreement shall

  • (a) ensure that every crew member has entered into and received articles of agreement, in the form and manner specified by the Minister, with respect to their position on the vessel; and

  • (b) display, in a location that is accessible to the crew, the provisions of the articles of agreement that are common to each crew member.

• Marginal note:Information

  (2) The articles of agreement between the master and a crew member must state the surname and other names of the crew member, the respective rights and obligations of each of the parties and any other information required by the regulations made under this Part.

Marginal note:Discharge

92 When a crew member of a Canadian vessel is discharged, the authorized representative shall provide the member with a certificate of discharge in the form and manner specified by the Minister.

Marginal note:Record of sea service

• 93 (1) The authorized representative and every crew member of a Canadian vessel shall each maintain, in the form and manner and for the period specified by the Minister, a record of sea service of the member.

• Marginal note:Copies to the Minister

  (2) On request, the authorized representative shall provide the Minister with a copy of, or an extract from, a crew member’s record of sea service.

Return of Crew Members

Marginal note:Return and payment of expenses

• 94 (1) Subject to the regulations and except in the case of desertion or mutual agreement, if a crew member is left behind when a Canadian vessel sails or is shipwrecked, the authorized representative shall ensure that arrangements are made to return the crew member to the place where they first came on board or to another place to which they have agreed, and pay the expenses of returning the crew member as well as all expenses, including medical expenses, that the crew member reasonably incurs before being returned.

• Marginal note:Exception if insurance

  (2) The authorized representative is not responsible to pay any expenses covered by insurance for which the authorized representative paid.

• Marginal note:If authorized representative does not comply

  (3) If the authorized representative does not comply with subsection (1), the Minister may act in place of the authorized representative and any expenses incurred by the Minister constitute a debt due to Her Majesty in right of Canada by the authorized representative and may be recovered as such in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Marginal note:Desertion or serious violation of contract

95 If a crew member deserts a Canadian vessel or has committed a serious violation of their contract of employment, the authorized representative or, if the authorized representative entered into an agreement with another person to provide the crew member, that person may return the crew member to the place where they first came on board or to another place on which they and the authorized representative or the other person, as the case may be, have agreed. The expenses of returning the crew member may be deducted from any remuneration due to them.

Births and Deaths

Marginal note:Informing the Minister

96 The authorized representative of a Canadian vessel must, in the form and manner specified by the Minister, inform the Minister of every birth or death on board.

Marginal note:Death of crew member

• 97 (1) Subject to any other law, if a crew member of a Canadian vessel dies, the master shall

  • (a) without delay inform the Minister or a diplomatic or consular officer of Canada of the circumstances surrounding the death; and

  • (b) at the option of the person, if any, whom the crew member identified as a contact in case of emergency, arrange to bury or cremate the body or, if the person and the master agree on a place to return the body to, return it to that place.

• Marginal note:Cremation or burial

  (2) If the contact person referred to in paragraph (1)(b) cannot be consulted within a reasonable period, the master shall, subject to any other law, bury or cremate the body, taking into account the deceased’s wishes if known.

• Marginal note:Exceptional circumstances

  (3) If, in the opinion of the master, it is not feasible, because of the type of voyage or the lack of facilities, to follow the wishes of the contact person referred to in paragraph (1)(b) or of the deceased crew member, the master shall, subject to any other law, bury or cremate the body.

• Marginal note:Property of a deceased crew member

  (4) The authorized representative of a Canadian vessel shall give any property that belonged to a deceased crew member and was on board to the contact person referred to in paragraph (1)(b) or the deceased crew member’s estate or succession.

Obligation of Persons Who Provide Crew Members

Marginal note:If an agreement to provide crew members

98 If the authorized representative of a Canadian vessel entered into an agreement with another person to provide crew members, that other person shall, in lieu of the authorized representative or the master with respect to those crew members, comply with the obligation of the authorized representative or master set out in

• (a) paragraph 91(1)(a) (enter into articles);

• (b) section 92 (provide certificate of discharge);

• (c) subsection 93(1) (maintain record of sea service);

• (d) subsection 93(2) (provide copy of record of sea service); and

• (e) subsection 94(1) (pay expenses), except in respect of any expenses covered by insurance for which that other person or the authorized representative paid.

Resolution of Disputes

Marginal note:Adjudication by Minister

99 The Minister may, on the request of the authorized representative or a crew member of a Canadian vessel, adjudicate any dispute between the authorized representative and crew member that arises under this Part. The Minister’s decision is binding on the parties.

Regulations

Marginal note:Regulations

100 The Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister, make regulations for carrying out the purposes and provisions of this Part, including regulations

• (a) specifying the positions that shall be occupied on board Canadian vessels, or classes of Canadian vessels, their minimum number and the types and classes of Canadian maritime documents that persons in those positions shall hold;

• (b) specifying the requirements in respect of any position on board Canadian vessels or classes of Canadian vessels;

• (c) specifying the types and classes of certificates that may be issued in respect of positions on board Canadian vessels or classes of Canadian vessels;

• (d) respecting the qualifications required of applicants for any type or class of certificate specified under paragraph (c), including their medical fitness, minimum age, degree of knowledge, skill, training and experience;

• (e) respecting the manner of determining whether a person meets the requirements specified under paragraph (b) in respect of a position or the qualifications required under paragraph (d) for any type or class of certificate of competency or other Canadian maritime document;

• (f) specifying the terms and conditions of certificates of competency or other Canadian maritime documents issued under this Part;

• (g) specifying the circumstances in which ensuring arrangements for a crew member’s return and paying their expenses are not required for the purpose of subsection 94(1);

• (h) respecting persons who enter into agreements to provide crew members, including requiring that those persons be licensed;

• (i) specifying the Canadian vessels or classes of Canadian vessels in respect of which the master shall enter into articles of agreement with crew members;

• (j) specifying the information that must be contained in articles of agreement;

• (k) specifying what constitutes a serious violation of a contract of employment;

• (l) respecting any occupational health or safety matter on board a vessel that is not regulated by the Canada Labour Code; and

• (m) respecting the payment and allotment of crew members’ wages.

Offences and Punishment

Marginal note:Contravention of Act or regulations

• 101 (1) Every person commits an offence who contravenes

  • (a) subsection 82(2) (operating a vessel without sufficient and competent crew);

  • (b) subsection 82(3) (wilfully obstructing the operation of a vessel); or

  • (c) a provision of the regulations made under any of paragraphs 100(a) to (i) and (k) to (m).

• Marginal note:Punishment

  (2) Every person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than $1,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than 18 months, or to both.

• Marginal note:Continuing offence

  (3) If an offence under subsection (1) is committed or continued on more than one day, the person who committed it is liable to be convicted for a separate offence for each day on which it is committed or continued.