We want your feedback on changes we’re proposing for our marine insurance certificates fees.

Transport Canada issues marine insurance certificates to confirm that owners of vessels operating in Canadian waters have valid and adequate insurance coverage to cover their liabilities under International Maritime Organization conventions.

These certificates include:

• Bunkers Convention certificates for vessels over 1,000 gross tonnage (GT) that carry bunker oil for the vessel’s propulsion or operation;
• Civil Liability Convention certificates for seagoing vessels that can carry more than 2,000 tons of bulk persistent oil as cargo;
• Wreck Removal Convention certificates for vessels of 300 GT and above; and
• once it comes into force, Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) Convention certificates for seagoing vessels carrying packaged or bulk HNS, unless the vessel is below 200 GT and only carrying packaged HNS domestically.

Transport Canada is proposing to modernize the fees for marine insurance certificates introduced in 2021 by:

• increasing current fees from $98 to $142;
• introducing a new $142 fee for issuing an HNS Convention certificate; and
• adjusting all fees every year on April 1, based on the Consumer Price Index

Transport Canada considered several factors to set the proposed fees:

• We estimated that most of the benefits of marine insurance certificates go to the marine industry. About 90% of the benefits support commercial activities and allow clients to access markets
• We examined how much other countries charge for similar services. For example:
  
  • Norway charges between $325 and $499 per certificate
  • Australia charges a flat fee of $67 for a new certificate
  • New Zealand charges $201 per hour to issue a certificate
  • Marshall Islands charges $274 per certificate
• We considered the economic realities of the Canadian marine industry and the impact on different types of businesses. For example:
  
  • a small vessel between 300 and 1,000 GT would pay $142 per year for one certificate or $284 per year if they are carrying HNS by sea
  • large oil tankers would require four certificates and would pay $568 per vessel per year for their certificates

Transport Canada is proposing to continue issuing certificates within 10 business days after receiving a complete application, while updating wording to improve clarity.

• April 28 to May 28, 2026: Let's Talk Transportation consultation
• Early 2027: Publication of proposed regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part I for public comments
• Late 2027: Regulations come into force

We’re interested in your views on these proposed fee changes and their potential impacts.

• Select “Sign in” at the top of the page
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• You are now ready to comment on questions below
• You can also provide input at any time by sending an email to MarineLiability-ResponsabiliteMaritime@tc.gc.ca.