Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Search

Pacific Pilotage Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1270)

Regulations are current to 2024-02-20 and last amended on 2020-10-14. Previous Versions

Certificates

 In addition to the certificates required by subsection 10(1) of the General Pilotage Regulations, an applicant for or a holder of a licence or a pilotage certificate shall hold a training certificate indicating that they have successfully completed a course approved in accordance with section 114 of the Marine Personnel Regulations

  • (a) in simulated electronic navigation, level 2; and

  • (b) in automatic radar plotting aids.

  • SOR/2003-224, s. 2
  • SOR/2009-329, s. 3
  • SOR/2014-240, s. 2

Apprenticeship

 The holder of a licence shall have successfully completed the apprenticeship system approved by the Authority.

Requirements

 The holder of a licence or pilotage certificate shall have provided the Authority with evidence that the holder maintained a record of safe ship handling and navigation before applying for their licence or pilotage certificate.

  • SOR/2003-224, s. 3

 The holder of a licence or pilotage certificate shall

  • (a) have passed the required examinations of their qualifications conducted by the committee of examiners;

  • (b) speak, write and understand English to the extent necessary to carry out their pilotage duties; and

  • (c) have passed a medical examination that tests the holder’s physical and mental fitness for pilotage duties.

  • SOR/2003-224, s. 3

Ships Subject to Compulsory Pilotage

  •  (1) Every ship of more than 350 gross tonnage that is not a pleasure craft and every pleasure craft of more than 500 gross tonnage is subject to compulsory pilotage.

  • (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), if a ship is part of an arrangement of ships, then the combined tonnage of all the ships in the arrangement of ships is taken into consideration in determining whether the ship is subject to compulsory pilotage.

  • (3) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of

    • (a) a government vessel as defined in section 2 of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001;

    • (b) a ferry; or

    • (c) a United States government ship of less than 10 000 gross tonnage.

  • SOR/83-23, s. 1
  • SOR/85-256, s. 1(F)
  • SOR/2003-224, s. 3
  • SOR/2009-329, s. 4
  • SOR/2020-211, s. 6

Waiver of Compulsory Pilotage

  •  (1) The Authority may, on application, waive compulsory pilotage in respect of a ship if

    • (a) the ship is in distress;

    • (b) a person on board the ship requires medical evacuation;

    • (c) the ship is engaged in rescue or salvage operations;

    • (d) the ship is seeking refuge; or

    • (e) a licensed pilot is not available to perform the functions of a pilot and the following conditions have been met:

      • (i) the owner, master or agent of the ship has complied with sections 12 and 13, and

      • (ii) all persons in charge of the deck watch are familiar with the route and the marine traffic control system in the compulsory pilotage area that the ship is entering.

    • (f) [Repealed, SOR/2020-211, s. 7]

  • (2) The Authority may waive compulsory pilotage in respect of a ship that

    • (a) is warping and is not using its engines or a tug except as a line boat for the handling of the ship’s lines;

    • (b) is proceeding directly — and, if applicable, in accordance with an established traffic separation scheme — to a pilot boarding station located within a compulsory pilotage area for the purpose of embarking a licensed pilot; or

    • (c) is proceeding directly — and, if applicable, in accordance with an established traffic separation scheme — out of a compulsory pilotage area after disembarking a licensed pilot at a pilot boarding station located within that area.

  • (3) The Authority may, on application, waive compulsory pilotage in respect of a ship of less than 10 000 gross tonnage if, as of the day on which the application is made, every person in charge of the deck watch

    • (a) holds the certificates that are required by Part 2 of the Marine Personnel Regulations or, if the ship is not Canadian, equivalent certificates;

    • (b) has completed, as a person in charge of the deck watch on voyages in the region, at least

      • (i) 150 days of service in the preceding 18 months, or

      • (ii) 365 days of service in the preceding 60 months, including at least 60 days in the preceding 24 months; and

    • (c) has served as a person in charge of the deck watch in the compulsory pilotage area for which the waiver is sought on at least one occasion within the preceding 24 months.

  • (4) Compulsory pilotage may be waived in respect of a ship referred to in subsection (3) that is travelling in the portion of Area 1 west of the New Westminster railway bridge only if every person in charge of the deck watch has, within the 24 months before the day on which the application is made, completed five return voyages, of which the Authority was given prior notice, through that portion of Area 1

    • (a) with a licensed pilot; or

    • (b) with a person in charge of the deck watch who has previously completed five return voyages, of which the Authority was given prior notice, through that portion of Area 1 with a licensed pilot.

  • (5) Compulsory pilotage may be waived in respect of a ship referred to in subsection (3) that is travelling in the portion of Area 1 east of the New Westminster railway bridge only if every person in charge of the deck watch has, within the 24 months before the day on which the application is made, completed 10 return voyages, of which the Authority was given prior notice, through that portion of Area 1

    • (a) with a licensed pilot; or

    • (b) with a person in charge of the deck watch who has previously completed 10 return voyages, of which the Authority was given prior notice, through that portion of Area 1 with a licensed pilot.

  • (6) Compulsory pilotage may be waived in respect of a ship referred to in subsection (3) that is carrying dangerous goods and travelling in the Second Narrows Traffic Control Zone only if every person in charge of the deck watch has, as of the day on which the application is made, completed six return voyages — at least one of which was completed within the preceding 24 months — of which the Authority was given prior notice, through that Zone

    • (a) with a licensed pilot; or

    • (b) with a person in charge of the deck watch who has previously completed six return voyages, of which the Authority was given prior notice, through that Zone with a licensed pilot.

  • (7) If a ship is part of an arrangement of ships, then the combined gross tonnage of all the ships in the arrangement of ships is taken into consideration in determining whether the ship qualifies for a waiver of compulsory pilotage under subsection (3).

  • (7.1) For greater certainty, the Authority may not waive compulsory pilotage in respect of any period before the embarkation or after the disembarkation of the persons who meet the conditions set out in subsections (3) to (6), as the case may be.

  • (8) Despite subsections (3) to (6), a ship is subject to compulsory pilotage if there is a risk to navigational safety because of

    • (a) ship safety orders resulting from an environmental risk;

    • (b) exceptional circumstances on board the ship; or

    • (c) extreme conditions related to weather, tides or currents or freshet conditions.

  • (9) An application for a waiver of compulsory pilotage other than an application made under a circumstance described in subsection (1) or (2) shall be made in writing.

  • (10) At the request of the Authority, the persons in charge of the deck watch referred to in subsections (1) to (6) shall produce evidence that the conditions set out in this section continue to be met.

Pilot Boarding Stations

 There shall be a pilot boarding station

  • (a) at Fairway Buoy, off Brotchie Ledge near Victoria;

  • (b) off Cape Beale, at the entrance to Trevor Channel in Barkley Sound;

  • (c) off Triple Island, near Prince Rupert;

  • (d) off Pine Island, near Port Hardy;

  • (e) off Sand Heads, at the mouth of the Fraser River, for Area 1 pilot transfers; and

  • (f) at any point or place in the region that the Authority considers necessary to ensure a safe and efficient pilotage service.

  • SOR/2003-224, s. 3
  • SOR/2009-329, s. 6

Notice to Obtain Pilots

 The master, owner or agent of a ship that is subject to compulsory pilotage and requires the services of a licensed pilot shall

  • (a) with respect to the pilot boarding station referred to in paragraph 11(a),

    • (i) provide notice to the Authority of the estimated time of the ship’s arrival, Coordinated Universal Time, at least 12 hours before arrival, and

    • (ii) confirm or correct the estimated time of the ship’s arrival four hours prior to arrival; and

  • (b) with respect to any of the pilot boarding stations referred to in paragraphs 11(b) to (f),

    • (i) provide notice to the Authority of the estimated time of the ship’s arrival, Coordinated Universal Time, at least 48 hours before arrival, and

    • (ii) confirm or correct the estimated time of the ship’s arrival at least 12 hours prior to arrival.

  • SOR/2003-224, s. 3
  • SOR/2009-329, s. 7(F)

Required Information in Notice

 The notice referred to in section 12 shall include

  • (a) the pilotage service to be performed;

  • (b) the name, nationality, length, breadth, deepest draft and gross tonnage of the ship; and

  • (c) any other information about the ship that affects its speed, manoeuvrability or the safety of navigation.

 [Repealed, SOR/2014-240, s. 3]

Notification of Pilotage Certificate Holders or Waivers

  •  (1) If a person in charge of the deck watch of a ship is a holder of a pilotage certificate, the master, owner or agent of that ship shall, 48 hours before entering a compulsory pilotage area, notify the Authority of the intended voyage of the ship and the name of the holder and the number of their certificate.

  • (2) If a waiver of compulsory pilotage has been granted in respect of a ship, the master, owner or agent of that ship shall, 48 hours before entering a compulsory pilotage area, notify the Authority of the intended voyage of the ship and the names of all persons in charge of the deck watch.

  • SOR/2003-224, s. 3

Minimum Number of Licensed Pilots or Holders of Pilotage Certificates on Board

  •  (1) Subject to subsection (2), the minimum number of licenced pilots or holders of pilotage certificates that shall be on board a ship at any time is one, except that two pilots shall be on board

    • (a) for any voyage during which the ship would require the services of a pilot on bridge watch for a period exceeding eight consecutive hours;

    • (b) for any voyage during which the ship would require the services of a pilot on bridge watch for a distance exceeding 105 consecutive nautical miles;

    • (c) where the ship cannot be safely navigated by only one pilot on bridge watch; or

    • (d) where the ship has requested two pilots.

  • (2) A licensed pilot or holder of a pilotage certificate who has conduct of a towed ship may be on board the tug by which it is towed.

  • SOR/83-23, s. 2
  • SOR/85-256, s. 2
  • SOR/90-292, s. 1

Licences

  •  (1) The classes of licences that may be issued by the Authority are Class I and Class II licences.

  • (2) A licence issued by the Authority shall have an endorsement on it that states what class of licence it is as well as the compulsory pilotage areas in which the holder may pilot.

  • (3) The holder of a Class II licence is entitled to receive a Class I licence after having served satisfactorily as the holder of a Class II licence for a period of one year.

  • (4) An apprentice pilot who meets the qualifications for a licence, shall be issued a Class II licence.

  • SOR/2009-329, s. 9

Pilotage Certificates

 A pilotage certificate issued by the Authority shall have an endorsement thereon stating

  • (a) the size and type of ship that the holder of the certificate may pilot, and

  • (b) the compulsory pilotage areas in which or the specific routes within a compulsory pilotage area on which the holder may pilot,

and may have an endorsement thereon setting out any requirements or restrictions applicable to the holder.

Applications for Licences and Pilotage Certificates

 An applicant for a licence or pilotage certificate shall

  • (a) provide the Authority with such evidence, information and references as will satisfy the Authority that he meets all the qualifications prescribed by the Act, the General Pilotage Regulations and these Regulations of an applicant for and the holder of the licence or pilotage certificate for which he is applying; and

  • (b) pay a fee of $50 to the Authority for the issue of the licence or pilotage certificate.

Further Training

 The holder of a licence or pilotage certificate shall be required to take further training to enable him to meet the qualifications of holders of licences and pilotage certificates prescribed by these Regulations since his licence or certificate was issued when he is unable to meet those qualifications.

Examinations

  •  (1) To determine whether an applicant for or the holder of a licence or pilotage certificate or an applicant who wishes to become an apprentice pilot meets the qualifications prescribed for applicants and holders by the Act, the General Pilotage Regulations and these Regulations, the Authority may refer the qualifications of the applicant or holder to a committee of examiners.

  • (2) There shall be two committees of examiners consisting of five members each.

  • (3) One of the committees of examiners shall examine the qualifications of applicants and holders with respect to Area 1 compulsory pilotage area and the other committee shall examine the qualifications of applicants and holders with respect to Areas 2, 3, 4 and 5 compulsory pilotage areas.

  • (4) Each committee of examiners shall consist of

    • (a) two persons appointed by the Authority, one of whom shall be chairman of the committee;

    • (b) a licensed pilot appointed by the representative body of licensed pilots;

    • (c) a licensed pilot appointed by the Authority; and

    • (d) a master mariner appointed by the Authority.

  • (5) A committee of examiners shall be appointed for a term of one year commencing July 1st in each year.

  • (6) Any retiring member of a committee of examiners shall be eligible for re-appointment to that committee.

  • (7) A quorum of a committee of examiners shall be four members.

 

Date modified: