Create and participate in forums for consensus-building in relation to navigation

Context and project description

Navigation on the St. Lawrence is subject to a variety of acts and regulations, and involves a whole host of actors with varying interests that are sometimes divergent. Moreover, there are numerous issues, including the effects of wave action on the banks of zones that are sensitive to erosion, the introduction of invasive alien species by vessels, and adapting navigation to a current drop in water levels.

Several consensus-building actions already take place each year among stakeholders in the world of navigation on the St. Lawrence. With this project, those responsible will ensure that this consensus-building will not only continue, but will increase. They also wish to promote relations with Great Lakes stakeholders.

Results

To strengthen consensus building between the various users of the St. Lawrence, the collaborators of the St. Lawrence Action Plan (SLAP) participated in various dialogue activities, such as colloquia and conferences.

SLAP’s Navigation Coordination Committee (NCC) produced the second edition of the Sustainable Navigation Strategy  and distributed it to about 100 partners. This document contains an action plan for issues involving navigation on the St. Lawrence, such as protection of marine mammals and integrated management of dredging and sediment. This new strategy is the key document that will enable the NCC to publicize its achievements and continue its participation in coordination activities during the 2016–2021 phase.

Participating departments

Government of Canada

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Transport Canada
• Environment and Climate Change Canada

Government of Quebec

• Ministère des Transports
• Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques
• Ministère du Tourisme
• Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs