Question Period Note: Blue Economy Regulatory Review

Why is the blue economy undergoing a targeted regulatory review?

• Through this regulatory review, DFO will hear from Canadians about how we can improve regulations to support new opportunities in our marine industries to fuel sustainable growth.
• The results of this review will guide the development of a Regulatory Roadmap – a clear and concrete plan for modernizing our regulations to enable prosperity for coastal and Indigenous communities, and the health of our ocean ecosystems.
• The Blue Economy Regulatory Review will support innovation and job creation in existing and emerging blue economy sectors, while restoring ocean health.

• DFO and the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) are undertaking a Regulatory Review focused on Canada’s blue economy as part of the third round of Targeted Regulatory Reviews called for in Budget 2021.
• The Government of Canada launched the first round of Targeted Regulatory Reviews in 2018. It focused on three high-growth sectors:
• agri-food and aquaculture
• health and biosciences
• transportation and infrastructure
• In 2019, the Government of Canada started a second round of targeted Regulatory Reviews. This round of reviews focuses on the following three areas:
• clean technology
• digitalization and technology neutrality
• international standards
• [Information was severed in accordance with the Access to Information Act.]
• This Review will examine the role of regulation as a driver of ocean innovation, identify regulatory and administrative barriers to environmentally sustainable growth to facilitate the development of agile regulations to address concerns of future-oriented ocean industries.
• The Blue Economy Regulatory Review will focus on the following seven themes:
1. Marine Spatial Planning
2. Marine Renewable Energy and Environmental Protection
3. Sustainable Fishing
4. Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships
5. Alternative Marine Fuels
6. Ocean Technology
7. Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage
• Engagement actives will last for a period of three months, led by DFO, in collaboration with TBS, and other governmental departments.
• An official public notice will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part 1 to indicate that a regulatory review on the blue economy will take place, and direct stakeholders to provide their input through TBS’ Let’s Talk Federal Regulations online engagement platform. Departments may also engage directly with partners and stakeholders during this period on specific themes that are part of the Review.
• Following completion of this engagement period, a Regulatory Roadmap will be produced in Fall 2022, which will lay out plans to advance regulatory modernization in support of economic growth and innovation.

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