Bill C-244 Clean Coasts Act
C-244 An Act to Amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act
Short Title: Clean Coasts Act
Bill Type: Private Member’s Bill
Bill Sponsor: Patrick Weiler (West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country)
Status: Committee Study — referred February 25, 2026. This Bill hasn't passed yet.
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WHO GAINS POWER
- Environment Minister gains broader authority to hold polluters liable for damage to marine areas
- Government gains a new tool to block vessel owners from offloading problem ships onto people who can't maintain them
WHO LOSES POWER
- Ship owners lose the ability to dump a wrecked or hazardous vessel on an unqualified buyer and walk away
- Polluters lose a liability shield — "I didn't allow the disposal" becomes harder to argue
WHO GAINS MONEY
- Canadian coastal communities and marine ecosystems — indirectly, through increased liability deterrence
- No direct financial beneficiaries named in the Bill
WHO LOSES MONEY
- Ship owners and operators face increased liability exposure for marine damage
- Vessel sellers who offload problem ships onto unqualified buyers face new legal risk
THE CATCH
- "Increased liability" is the whole Bill — but the actual liability amounts, enforcement mechanisms and penalties are not defined here
- ⚠️ "Reckless as to whether" is doing a lot of work — this is a legal standard that will be argued in court, not defined in the Bill. Who decides what counts as reckless?
- ⚠️ No definition of "ability, resources or intent" — three undefined terms in the key prohibition. Each one is a litigation target
- ⚠️ No new enforcement body or budget — the Bill adds liability but doesn't fund anyone to pursue it
- ⚠️ Private Member's Bill with no government backing — increased liability for marine damage sounds urgent. If it were, it would be a government Bill with a budget attached