Establishing Effective Marine Protected Areas: Proposed Amendments to Bill C-55

In June 2017, the federal government tabled Bill C-55, proposing changes to Canada’s Oceans Act. Unfortunately, Bill C-55 does not go far enough in providing effective protection for marine protected areas (MPAs) under the Act. There is an urgent need to make essential amendments to Bill C-55 that include minimum protection standards in all MPAs, that allows for Indigenous governance or co-governance, and that speeds up protection of marine areas through MPA network planning and broad designations.

This brief summarizes the key amendments to Bill C-55 requested by West Coast Environmental Law Association and other environmental organizations, in order to ensure lasting protection for ocean species and the habitats on which they depend.