45th Parliament · Session 1
Bill C-244: An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act
Clean Coasts Act
Introduced
September 22, 2025
Current Stage
HouseInCommittee
Last Updated
February 25, 2026
Sponsor
Patrick Weiler
Community Support
Community Vote
0% Support
0 votes
Politicians' Vote
62% Support
327 MPs
Support
Undecided/Abstain
Oppose
Cast Your Vote
Your vote helps inform others
Engagement
Votes
0
Comments
0
Follows
0
Parliamentary Votes
1
Statements
1
Bill C-244
Wed Feb 25 2026
An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act
Impact Rating
2/5
Short Summary
Bans selling old boats to buyers who can't afford to fix them and penalizes captains who allow pollution to happen through negligence.
This bill strengthens protections for Canada's oceans and coastlines by closing legal loopholes regarding pollution and abandoned boats. First, it amends the 'Canadian Environmental Protection Act' to make it illegal not just to dump waste, but to 'allow' it to happen, increasing liability for negligence. Second, it changes the 'Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act' to prohibit boat owners from selling or transferring old vessels to buyers who clearly lack the money or ability to take care of them. This is designed to stop people from dumping liabilities onto 'straw buyers' who then abandon the ships.
Why does this bill exist?
Origin (Public Outcry/Event)
Coastal communities (like the sponsor's riding in BC) are dealing with hundreds of abandoned boats that pollute local waters and cost municipalities millions to clean up.
Expanded Liability for Pollution: It is now a crime to 'allow' the disposal of waste in the ocean, meaning supervisors or ship owners can be charged for negligence even if they didn't throw the trash themselves.
Ban on Irresponsible Boat Sales: Owners are prohibited from transferring a vessel if they know (or are reckless to the fact) that the buyer cannot afford to maintain or dispose of it properly.
Targeting Abandoned Wrecks: Aims to stop the practice of selling dilapidated boats for $1 to insolvent buyers just to avoid the cost of proper disposal.
Resource Verification: Sellers effectively have a new duty to verify that a buyer has the 'ability, resources, or intent' to manage the vessel.
Fines and Penalties: Violating the new transfer rules makes the seller liable for penalties under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act.
Boat Owners (Sellers)
(Harder)
Must verify that the person buying your boat actually has the money and plan to take care of it.
Coastal Residents
(Rights Expanded)
Will see fewer rotting hulks left on beaches and in harbours.
Commercial Ship Captains
(Harder)
Face stricter liability; can be fined if their crew dumps waste and they didn't stop it.
Provincial Impact
Provincial Impact
Oceans are federal jurisdiction, but provinces often deal with the shoreline mess. This helps provinces by reducing the number of wrecks they have to complain about.
Benefits & Pros
Prevents taxpayers from footing the bill for removing abandoned boats (which can cost millions).
Reduces environmental hazards (leaking oil/fuel) from derelict ships left to rot.
Closes a loophole where companies could claim they 'didn't know' an employee was dumping waste.
Beneficiaries
Risks & Cons
Places a burden on legitimate boat sellers to investigate the financial status of buyers.
The definition of 'lacks the ability or resources' is subjective and could lead to legal disputes.
Could make it very difficult to sell older, fixer-upper boats to hobbyists with limited budgets.
Affected Groups
Before & After
Currently, an owner can sell a rotting 40-foot boat to a homeless individual for $1, transferring the legal title. When the boat inevitably sinks, the original owner walks away free. Under this Bill, that sale is illegal. The original owner remains responsible and can be fined if they attempt to offload the vessel to someone who cannot care for it.
Real World Scenario
Currently: A marina wants to get rid of an abandoned boat. They auction it for $50 to a buyer with no job. The buyer strips the copper and leaves the hull to sink. The Coast Guard pays $40,000 to remove it. Under this Bill: The marina cannot sell the boat to that buyer. They must dispose of it properly themselves or find a qualified buyer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Votes on this bill
2nd reading of Bill C-244, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act
Wed Feb 25 2026
Yeas: 202
Nays: 125
Total: 327
Sponsor
Member of Parliament
House of Commons
First reading
Completed on September 22, 2025
Second reading
Completed on February 25, 2026
Consideration in committee
Not yet started
Report stage
Not yet started
Third reading
Not yet started
Senate
First reading
Not yet started
Second reading
Not yet started
Third reading
Not yet started
Abuse Potential
The vague criteria regarding a buyer's 'ability' or 'resources' creates potential for overreach. A zealous enforcement officer could penalize a seller after the fact if a buyer abandons a boat, arguing the seller 'should have known' the buyer was broke. This effectively forces private citizens to act as financial auditors for their buyers. It could also be used to freeze the secondary market for older, affordable vessels by making sellers too afraid of liability to sell them.
Implementation Risk
Moderate. Enforcing the 'intent' or 'resources' of a buyer is difficult. Courts may struggle to define exactly how much money a buyer needs to have to be considered 'capable' of owning a boat.
Broad Economic Impact
Indirect
Everyday Life
Minimal impact
Admin Burden
Higher burden of due diligence for boat sellers.
Timeline
Immediate upon Royal Assent.
