American Vessels in Canadian Waters
Date: July 21, 2020
Classification: Unclassified
Branch/Agency: CBSA
Issue:
The Vancouver Sun is reporting on United States (U.S.) pleasure craft crossing into Canadian waters despite coronavirus border restrictions.
Proposed Response:
- Marine activity is monitored actively by the CBSA, local, provincial, national, and international partners and any identified discretionary cross-border activities are addressed.
- Marine patrols that are outside of designated reporting sites or marinas as well as the interception of vessels in Canadian waters are the responsibility of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other law enforcement partners.
- The CBSA has implemented enhanced marine border measures to ensure that COVID-19 travel restrictions are appropriately enforced in the marine environment. This includes spot-checks at designated marinas where the Agency has suspended services due to COVID-19.
- While boaters are still permitted to navigate across international waters if needed, they are not allowed to enter Canadian waters for discretionary or leisure reasons, including entry for touring, sightseeing and pleasure fishing.
- Furthermore, boaters are not allowed to dock or anchor in Canada for discretionary, non-essential reasons. The transit must be direct and continuous.
- Boaters who enter Canada without reporting to the CBSA (including for the purpose of refuelling) may face severe penalties, including monetary penalties, seizure of their vessels and/or criminal charges.
If pressed:
- The CBSA has conducted nearly 4,000 vessel verifications and marinas across Canada. In the Pacific Region, which consists of B.C. and Yukon, that number is nearly 800.
- In the month of June, the CBSA received 195 arrival reports from vessels arriving in British Columbia. In July, that number is currently at 135. These vessels consist of Canadian vessels returning or foreign vessels seeking entry. The CBSA attends to all vessels in-person reporting their arrival to CBSA.
- Since June, the CBSA has refused entry to 60 marine travellers across the country for failing to meet COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Background:
Since the announcement of border measures to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 in Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has been made aware of community concerns from residents and political leaders in British Columbia (B.C.) about the number of United States (U.S.) pleasure crafts anchored, moored or otherwise stopped off the coast of B.C. and B.C. marinas. In response to these concerns, the CBSA implemented an enhanced marine strategy in June 2020 to increase its marine presence and conduct spot-checks of marinas and other designated reporting sites across the country.
Since the enhanced marine strategy took effect, the CBSA has conducted nearly 4,000 vessel verifications and marinas across Canada. In the Pacific Region, of which B.C. is part, that number is nearly 800. According to CBSA reporting information, 195 vessels reported to the Agency in B.C. in the month of June 2020 and 135 have done so in the month of July 2020. Since June 2020, the CBSA has refused entry to 60 marine travellers across the country for failing to meet COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Marine patrols that are outside of designated reporting sites or marinas continue to be the responsibility of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and other law enforcement partners and are not conducted by the CBSA.
The RCMP is dedicated to protecting Canadians and maintains the primary border integrity mandate between the ports of entry. In the marine environment, the RCMP is focused on reducing the spread of COVID-19 by interdicting boaters on the water to: ensure compliance with temporary border restrictions; to screen persons under the Quarantine Act; and to examine persons, goods and conveyances under the Customs Act. These efforts contribute to the monitoring and enforcement of the Canadian border and its waterways.
The RCMP’s activities are enhanced through domestic and international partnerships, including joint maritime programs with U.S.-based law enforcement agencies. Close consultation between the domestic and U.S.-based agencies has been maintained when responding to COVID-19 related questions, requests for information, complaints, reports of non-compliance, and similar operational issues. The RCMP, along with its domestic and U.S. partners, are conducting border patrols to ensure compliance with the travel restrictions currently in place, to enforce border legislation, and to detect and prevent criminal activity.
The interception of vessels in Canadian waters remains an RCMP responsibility. The CBSA has no authority, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the CBSA and RCMP, to conduct inspections between ports of entry, such as intercepting vessels at sea or on the water, unless they are in a marina or moored at a designated reporting site.
Contacts:
Approved by: Denis Vinette, Vice President, Travellers Branch, CBSA, [Redacted], Mike Duheme, Deputy Commissioner Federal Policing, RCMP, 613-843-6866
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