WCELA Submission on Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act

West Coast Environmental Law Association was invited to appear as a witness before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans to provide testimony on Bill C-55, An Act to amend the Oceans Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act. This document is an expanded version of West Coast’s written brief to the Committee. It summarizes the support for Bill C-55 and outlines our recommendations for establishing minimum protection standards for marine protected areas (MPAs), enhancing public accountability, and incorporating Indigenous co-governance and enforcement.