General Pilotage Regulations (SOR/2000-132)

United States Pilots

24.9 If an individual is authorized by an appropriate authority of the United States to have the conduct of a ship in the United States waters of the Great Lakes, that individual may also pilot in the Canadian waters of the Great Lakes, their connecting and tributary waters and the St. Lawrence River as far east as St. Regis in Quebec, in accordance with paragraph 38.01(2)(c) of the Act.

Navigation in the Compulsory Pilotage Areas

24.10 The Great Lakes Pilotage Authority may deny or withdraw pilotage service in respect of a ship if, without reasonable cause,

• (a) the person in charge of the ship fails to

  • (i) provide safe boarding and disembarking facilities for a pilot,

  • (ii) provide adequate accommodation and meals to a pilot in any case when the pilot is required to be on board the ship for a period of more than three hours, or

  • (iii) sign the pilotage card supplied by that Authority to the pilot; or

• (b) the owner, agent or master of the ship has not complied with section 24.11.

Notice of Requirement for a Pilot

• 24.11 (1) The owner, agent or master of a ship that requires the services of a pilot shall advise a person at the nearest pilot office of the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority of the time the pilot will be required to be on board the ship at least 12 hours before the pilot is so required, and shall confirm the time four hours before the pilot is so required.

• (2) A notice required by subsection (1) may be waived with the permission of an officer of the Authority.

Exchange of Pilots at Iroquois Lock

• 24.12 (1) A ship that is under the conduct of a licensed pilot and is transiting International District 1 shall exchange pilots at Iroquois Lock if,

  • (a) in respect of an upbound voyage, the ship takes longer than 1 hour and 15 minutes to transit from Valleyfield Bridge to Calling-In Point No. 7; or

  • (b) in respect of a downbound voyage, the ship takes longer than 3 hours and 46 minutes to transit from Cape Vincent to Crossover Island.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if no licensed pilots are available for an exchange at Iroquois Lock.

Apprenticeship

• 24.13 (1) For the purpose of gaining experience on ships of different types and sizes, an apprentice pilot for a compulsory pilotage area may, under the supervision of a licensed pilot for that area, undertake shipboard pilotage training on any ship that is subject to compulsory pilotage.

• (2) A deck watch officer who is training for a pilotage certificate for a compulsory pilotage area may, under the supervision of a pilotage certificate holder for that area or a licensed pilot for that area, undertake shipboard pilotage training on

  • (a) a Canadian ship of more than 1,500 gross tonnage; or

  • (b) an arrangement of ships whose total gross tonnage is 1,500 or more.

Endorsements

• 24.14 (1) A licence or pilotage certificate shall be endorsed in respect of any qualifications or conditions pertaining to its holder.

• (2) Subject to any qualifications or conditions that are endorsed on it, a licence or pilotage certificate authorizes its holder to perform pilotage duties on a ship in any compulsory pilotage area that is endorsed on the licence or certificate.

Qualifications

Applicant for a Licence

• 24.15 (1) An applicant for a licence shall

  • (a) have the experience at sea qualifications set out in section 12;

  • (b) pass an examination conducted by a Board of Examiners by showing a knowledge of the topics set out in section 24.19 that is compatible with the safe performance of pilotage duties;

  • (c) hold a Restricted Operator’s Certificate (ROC-MC) or General Operator Certificate (GOC) issued under the Radiocommunication Act;

  • (d) hold training certificates showing that they have successfully completed

    • (i) SEN Level II, as referred to in the Marine Personnel Regulations, and

    • (ii) a bridge resource management training course that has been approved by the Minister under section 114 of the Marine Personnel Regulations;

  • (e) demonstrate professional conduct;

  • (f) have been declared fit to perform pilotage duties in accordance with the medical requirements of Part 1; and

  • (g) have a degree of proficiency in the English language sufficient to carry out their pilotage duties.

• (2) An applicant for a licence for a compulsory pilotage area for which an apprenticeship system has been established shall have completed the full apprenticeship required by the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority before taking the examination referred to in paragraph (1)(b).

• (3) An applicant for a licence for a compulsory pilotage area, other than the Port of Churchill, in Manitoba, shall have completed at least 50 training trips in that area before taking the examination referred to in paragraph (1)(b).

• (4) An applicant for a licence for the Cornwall District shall have a degree of proficiency in the French language sufficient to carry out their pilotage duties in that area.

Applicant for a Pilotage Certificate

24.16 An applicant for a pilotage certificate shall

• (a) have the experience at sea qualifications set out in section 12;

• (b) have completed, within the three years immediately preceding the date of the application, at least 15 trips in each compulsory pilotage area in which the applicant intends to perform pilotage duties;

• (c) either

  • (i) pass an examination conducted by a Board of Examiners by showing a knowledge of the topics set out in section 24.19 that is compatible with the safe performance of pilotage duties, or

  • (ii) have successfully completed the Great Lakes Marine Pilotage Certificate Training Program;

• (d) hold a Restricted Operator’s Certificate (ROC-MC) or General Operator Certificate (GOC) issued under the Radiocommunication Act;

• (e) hold training certificates showing that the applicant has successfully completed

  • (i) SEN Level II, as referred to in the Marine Personnel Regulations, and

  • (ii) a bridge resource management training course that has been approved by the Minister under section 114 of the Marine Personnel Regulations;

• (f) demonstrate professional conduct;

• (g) have been declared fit to perform pilotage duties in accordance with the medical requirements of Part 1; and

• (h) have a degree of proficiency in the English language sufficient to carry out their pilotage duties.

24.17 An applicant for a pilotage certificate shall provide the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority with

• (a) proof that the applicant is a Canadian citizen or is a permanent resident as set out in subsection 38.1(3) of the Act;

• (b) proof of the applicant’s acquired experience and service in the conduct of Canadian ships, or arrangements of ships, whose total gross tonnage is 1,500 or more in and through the parts of each compulsory pilotage area in which the applicant intends to perform pilotage duties;

• (c) a photocopy of the applicant’s Restricted Operator’s Certificate (ROC-MC) or General Operator Certificate (GOC);

• (d) a photocopy of each training certificate required under paragraph 24.16(e);

• (e) a photocopy of each certificate of competency that the applicant holds; and

• (f) proof of the applicant’s age.

Great Lakes Marine Pilotage Certificate Training Program

24.18 For greater certainty, the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority shall ensure that successfully completing the Great Lakes Marine Pilotage Certificate Training Program is equivalent to passing an examination for a pilotage certificate.

Examinations

• 24.19 (1) An examination for a licence or pilotage certificate shall relate to the applicant’s knowledge of the following topics:

  • (a) the pilotage and navigational requirements of each area in which the applicant intends to perform pilotage duties, including knowledge of the currents, depths of water, anchorage areas, aids to navigation and, as applicable, tides;

  • (b) the marine traffic control system, if any, in each area in which the applicant intends to perform pilotage duties;

  • (c) the relevant parts of the Act and the regulations made under it;

  • (d) ship handling, including the related characteristics of a ship and the principles of hydrodynamics;

  • (e) the practical use of all shipboard navigational instruments;

  • (f) the duties, responsibilities and obligations of a pilot; and

  • (g) the relevant customs, port, immigration and pollution regulations.

• (2) If an applicant intends to perform pilotage duties in an area other than the Port of Churchill in Manitoba, the examination shall also relate to the applicant’s knowledge of the Seaway Property Regulations.

• (3) If an applicant intends to perform pilotage duties in the Port of Churchill in Manitoba, the examination shall also relate to the applicant’s knowledge of the Collision Regulations and any regulations respecting the Port of Churchill.

24.20 An examination for a licence or pilotage certificate shall be conducted at a place determined by the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority and notice of the examination shall be communicated by that Authority to every applicant for a licence or pilotage certificate.

Board of Examiners

• 24.21 (1) A Board of Examiners shall consist of an officer of the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority, who shall be the Chairperson of the Board, and of the Board members appointed by that Authority under subsection (2) or (3).

• (2) In the case of an applicant for a licence for a compulsory pilotage area, the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority shall appoint the following Board members:

  • (a) two persons, each of whom holds a licence for the area; and

  • (b) a person who does not hold a licence for the area but is knowledgeable about the area and holds

    • (i) a certificate not lower than master, local voyage, issued under the Canada Shipping Act, or

    • (ii) a certificate not lower than Master, Near Coastal, issued under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001.

• (3) In the case of an applicant for a pilotage certificate for a compulsory pilotage area, the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority shall appoint the following Board members:

  • (a) two persons, each of whom holds a licence or a pilotage certificate for the area; and

  • (b) a person who does not hold a licence or pilotage certificate for the area but is knowledgeable about the area and holds

    • (i) a certificate not lower than master, local voyage, issued under the Canada Shipping Act, or

    • (ii) a certificate not lower than Master, Near Coastal, issued under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001.

• (4) The Chairperson of the Board of Examiners shall report to the Minister the results of every examination, including

  • (a) the name of each person who passed the examination; and

  • (b) the class of licence or pilotage certificate to which each person who passed the examination is entitled.