The federal government has passed a bill this week that regulates oil tankers moving along British Columbia’s northern coast.
The act prohibits oil tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tons of crude oil or persistent oil from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the Alaska border. Transporting this oil between tankers or from ports or marine terminal will also not be permitted.
Those transporting oil will be required to provide information about their shipments, and can face fines of up to $5 million for non-compliance.
“The passing of Bill C-48 in the House is a big step forward for keeping north coast ecosystems, communities and livelihoods safe from the risk of oil spills,” said Jessica Clogg of the West Coast Environmental Law Association in a press release. “It’s a significant win for the coast that the oil tanker moratorium has finally reached this point.”
The bill will now head to the Senate for consideration before it becomes law.
