Order Amending the Schedule to the Canadian Navigable Waters Act: SOR/2019-321
Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 153, Number 18
Registration
SOR/2019-321 August 28, 2019
CANADIAN NAVIGABLE WATERS ACT
Whereas, pursuant to subsection 29(1) footnote a of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act footnote b, the Minister of Transport has considered the factors set out in that subsection for the addition to the schedule to that Act of the references to navigable waters set out in the annexed Order;
Therefore, the Minister of Transport, pursuant to section 29footnote a of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act footnote b, makes the annexed Order Amending the Schedule to the Canadian Navigable Waters Act.
Ottawa, August 16, 2019
Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport
Order Amending the Schedule to the Canadian Navigable Waters Act
Amendment
1 Part 2 of the schedule to the Canadian Navigable Waters Act footnote 1 is replaced by the following:
PART 2
Item |
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Column 4 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Yukon River |
64°40′57″ N, 141°00′00″ W |
60°41′57″ N, 135°02′34″ W |
From the rapids near the dam in Whitehorse to the Canada–U.S. border |
2 |
Alsek River |
59°26′03″ N, 137°58′19″ W |
60°39′03″ N, 137°48′25″ W |
From the confluence of the Dezadeash River and the Kaskawulsh River to the |
3 |
Tatshenshini River |
59°28′24″ N, 137°44′21″ W |
59°51′42″ N, 136°39′21″ W |
From Goat Creek to the Alsek River |
4 |
Mackenzie River |
69°20′59″ N, 133°54′10″ W |
61°03′31″ N, 116°33′22″ W |
From Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean |
5 |
Arctic Red River |
67°25′35″ N, 133°45′40″ W |
64°31′20″ N, 131°32′18″ W |
From Backbone Range, Mackenzie Mountains, to the Mackenzie River |
6 |
Skeena River |
54°01′00″ N, 130°06′12″ W |
55°41′53″ N, 127°41′40″ W |
From the confluence with the Babine River to the Pacific Ocean |
7 |
Nass River |
54°59′06″ N, 129°43′07″ W |
56°09′52″ N, 129°01′41″ W |
From the confluence with the Bell-Irving River to the Pacific Ocean |
8 |
Anderson River |
69°40′35″ N, 128°58′11″ W |
66°57′20″ N, 124°34′23″ W |
From Lac des Bois to the Arctic Ocean |
9 |
Horton River |
70°13′24″ N, 127°32′45″ W |
67°48′40″ N, 120°34′26″ W |
From the Haldane River to the Amundsen Gulf |
10 |
South Nahanni River |
61°03′03″ N, 123°20′30″ W |
62°59′01″ N, 129°37′23″ W |
From Mount Christie to the Liard River |
11 |
Fraser River |
49°06′10″ N, 123°17′59″ W |
53°01′50″ N, 119°12′17″ W |
From the Overland Falls to the Pacific Ocean |
12 |
Pitt River |
49°13′43″ N, 122°46′03″ W |
49°21′06″ N, 122°36′35″ W |
From Pitt Lake to the Fraser River |
13 |
Harrison River |
49°13′51″ N, 121°56′43″ W |
49°18′42″ N, 121°48′12″ W |
From Harrison Lake to the Fraser River |
14 |
Thompson River |
50°14′06″ N, 121°35′03″ W |
50°40′50″ N, 120°20′18″ W |
From the South Thompson River to the Fraser River |
15 |
Liard River |
61°50′55″ N, 121°18′35″ W |
61°14′12″ N, 131°37′39″ W |
From Mount Lewis to the Mackenzie River |
16 |
South Thompson River |
50°40′50″ N, 120°20′18″ W |
50°49′38″ N, 119°42′01″ W |
From Little Shuswap Lake to the Thompson River |
17 |
Kootenay River |
49°18′56″ N, 117°39′08″ W |
49°37′32″ N, 116°56′36″ W |
From Kootenay Lake to the Columbia River |
18 |
Columbia River |
49°00′00″ N, 117°37′55″ W |
52°04′30″ N, 118°33′58″ W |
From Kinbasket Lake to the Canada–U.S. border |
19 |
Coppermine River |
67°49′09″ N, 115°04′30″ W |
64°51′17″ N, 110°25′41″ W |
From Lac de Gras to the Coronation Gulf |
20 |
Bow River |
49°56′05″ N, 111°41′19″ W |
51°13′08″ N, 114°42′28″ W |
From Ghost Lake to the South Saskatchewan River |
21 |
Peace River |
59°00′01″ N, 111°24′47″ W |
56°00′48″ N, 122°12′18″ W |
From Williston Lake to the Slave River |
22 |
Clearwater River |
56°44′51″ N, 111°22′57″ W |
57°32′30″ N, 108°53′03″ W |
From the Mirror River to the Athabasca River |
23 |
Athabasca River |
58°40′10″ N, 110°50′15″ W |
52°44′09″ N, 117°57′17″ W |
From the confluence with the Whirlpool River to Lake Athabasca |
24 |
North Saskatchewan River |
53°14′07″ N, 105°04′58″ W |
52°22′35″ N, 115°24′05″ W |
From the confluence with the Ram River to the confluence with the South Saskatchewan River |
25 |
South Saskatchewan River |
53°14′07″ N, 105°04′58″ W |
49°56′05″ N, 111°41′19″ W |
From the confluence of the Bow River and the Oldman River to the confluence with the North Saskatchewan River |
26 |
Saskatchewan River |
53°27′43″ N, 105°04′08″ W |
53°11′08″ N, 99°15′24″ W |
From the confluence of the North Saskatchewan River and the South Saskatchewan River to Lake Winnipeg |
27 |
Dubawnt River |
63°33′49″ N, 100°42′29″ W |
64°30′35″ N, 100°05′40″ W |
From Dubawnt Lake to the Thelon River |
28 |
Assiniboine River |
49°53′08″ N, 97°07′41″ W |
50°58′35″ N, 101°24′26″ W |
From the Shellmouth Dam to the Red River |
29 |
Red River |
50°23′12″ N, 96°47′58″ W |
49°00′02″ N, 97°13′43″ W |
From the Canada–U.S. Border to Lake Winnipeg |
30 |
Bloodvein River |
51°47′25″ N, 96°43′02″ W |
51°11′58″ N, 94°22′51″ W |
From Red Lake to Lake Winnipeg |
31 |
Winnipeg River |
50°37′54″ N, 96°19′13″ W |
49°45′59″ N, 94°30′39″ W |
From Lake of the Woods to Lake Winnipeg |
32 |
Kazan River |
64°02′26″ N, 95°28′49″ W |
61°15′06″ N, 100°58′00″ W |
From Ennadai Lake to Baker Lake |
33 |
Seal River |
59°04′22″ N, 94°47′44″ W |
58°49′44″ N, 97°35′39″ W |
From Shethanei Lake to Hudson Bay |
34 |
Rainy River |
48°50′20″ N, 94°41′08″ W |
48°36′54″ N, 93°21′11″ W |
From Rainy Lake to Lake of the Woods |
35 |
Churchill River |
58°47′23″ N, 94°12′22″ W |
55°49′03″ N, 108°22′44″ W |
From Churchill Lake to Hudson Bay |
36 |
Hayes River |
57°03′34″ N, 92°10′13″ W |
54°19′12″ N, 96°41′30″ W |
From Molson Lake to Hudson Bay |
37 |
Thelon River |
63°23′06″ N, 90°42′37″ W |
62°20′37″ N, 105°57′16″ W |
From Whitefish Lake to Hudson Bay |
38 |
Boundary Waters – Voyageur Waterway |
47°59′50″ N, 89°34′37″ W |
48°21′39″ N, 92°03′54″ W |
Boundary waters between Canada and the U.S. from Lake Superior to Lac la Croix |
39 |
St. Marys River |
46°03′34″ N, 83°56′44″ W |
46°31′13″ N, 84°37′08″ W |
From Lake Superior to Lake Huron |
40 |
Detroit River |
42°04′54″ N, 83°07′32″ W |
42°21′06″ N, 82°55′25″ W |
From Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie |
41 |
St. Clair River |
42°36′53″ N, 82°30′59″ W |
43°00′10″ N, 82°25′13″ W |
From Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair |
42 |
Thames River |
42°19′09″ N, 82°27′15″ W |
43°17′01″ N, 80°46′14″ W |
From the Town of Tavistock to Lake St. Clair |
43 |
French River |
45°56′28″ N, 80°54′05″ W |
46°12′31″ N, 79°49′03″ W |
From Lake Nipissing to Lake Huron |
44 |
Moose River |
51°23′15″ N, 80°21′54″ W |
51°08′09″ N, 80°50′20″ W |
From the Kwetabohigan Rapids to Hudson Bay |
45 |
Nottawasaga River |
44°32′19″ N, 80°00′28″ W |
44°08′18″ N, 79°48′38″ W |
From the 13th Line bridge to Lake Huron |
46 |
Severn River |
44°48′13″ N, 79°43′12″ W |
44°44′39″ N, 79°20′21″ W |
From Lake Couchiching to Lake Huron |
47 |
Grand River |
42°51′18″ N, 79°34′40″ W |
43°08′13″ N, 80°16′09″ W |
From the dam at Brantford to Lake Erie |
48 |
Holland River |
44°12′10″ N, 79°30′52″ W |
44°06′46″ N, 79°32′44″ W |
From the Bridge Street bridge to Lake Simcoe |
49 |
Holland River East Branch |
44°07′35″ N, 79°30′15″ W |
44°07′35″ N, 79°30′15″ W |
From the Queensville Side Road bridge to the Holland River |
50 |
Humber River |
43°37′55″ N, 79°28′19″ W |
43°39′08″ N, 79°29′44″ W |
From the rapids at Old Mill to Lake Ontario |
51 |
Mattawa River |
46°18′48″ N, 79°15′55″ W |
46°19′11″ N, 78°42′27″ W |
From the Ottawa River to Trout Lake |
52 |
North Branch of Muskoka River |
45°16′04″ N, 79°13′45″ W |
45°18′42″ N, 79°11′46″ W |
From Fairy Lake to Mary Lake |
53 |
Welland Canal |
43°14′41″ N, 79°13′00″ W |
42°52′01″ N, 79°15′06″ W |
A canal that connects Lake Erie to Lake Ontario |
54 |
Trent Canal |
44°28′17″ N, 79°10′14″ W |
44°32′10″ N, 79°04′00″ W |
From Canal Lake to Lake Simcoe |
55 |
The Canal |
45°20′06″ N, 79°08′43″ W |
45°20′24″ N, 79°07′57″ W |
From Peninsula Lake to Fairy Lake |
56 |
Niagara River |
43°15′43″ N, 79°04′23″ W |
42°53′18″ N, 78°54′43″ W |
From Lake Erie to Lake Ontario |
57 |
Trent Canal |
44°34′59″ N, 79°00′34″ W |
44°34′39″ N, 78°53′39″ W |
From Balsam Lake to Canal Lake |
58 |
Rosedale River |
44°34′13″ N, 78°45′57″ W |
44°34′24″ N, 78°47′46″ W |
From Balsam Lake to Cameron Lake |
59 |
Scugog River |
44°24′06″ N, 78°45′00″ W |
44°16′09″ N, 78°45′11″ W |
From Lake Scugog to Sturgeon Lake |
60 |
Fenelon River |
44°31′37″ N, 78°43′41″ W |
44°32′13″ N, 78°44′30″ W |
From Cameron Lake to Sturgeon Lake |
61 |
Pigeon River |
44°21′48″ N, 78°30′54″ W |
44°17′56″ N, 78°33′20″ W |
From the dam in Omemee to Pigeon Lake |
62 |
Trent Canal |
44°17′55″ N, 78°18′17″ W |
44°21′12″ N, 78°17′32″ W |
Connecting two parts of the Otonabee River at Peterborough |
63 |
Otonabee River |
44°09′12″ N, 78°13′51″ W |
44°25′58″ N, 78°16′23″ W |
From Katchewanooka Lake to Rice Lake |
64 |
Murray Canal |
44°03′38″ N, 77°35′02″ W |
44°01′56″ N, 77°40′37″ W |
Connecting two parts of Lake Ontario |
65 |
Trent River/Canal |
44°05′59″ N, 77°34′18″ W |
44°15′40″ N, 78°02′51″ W |
From Rice Lake to Lake Ontario |
66 |
Petawawa River |
45°54′38″ N, 77°15′30″ W |
45°53′02″ N, 77°23′27″ W |
From the confluence with the Barron River to the Ottawa River |
67 |
Cataraqui River |
44°13′37″ N, 76°28′27″ W |
44°25′36″ N, 76°18′28″ W |
From Cranberry Lake to Lake Ontario |
68 |
River Styx |
44°19′07″ N, 76°25′36″ W |
44°22′21″ N, 76°20′48″ W |
From the Cataraqui River to Colonel By Lake |
69 |
Stevens Creek |
44°36′41″ N, 76°23′16″ W |
44°37′28″ N, 76°21′38″ W |
From Loon Lake to Newboro Lake |
70 |
Tay River/Canal |
44°52′25″ N, 76°08′10″ W |
44°53′50″ N, 76°15′29″ W |
From the Peter Street bridge in Perth to the Lower Rideau Lake |
71 |
Rideau Canal |
45°25′36″ N, 75°41′56″ W |
45°22′11″ N, 75°41′55″ W |
From the Rideau River to the Ottawa River |
72 |
Rideau River |
45°26′29″ N, 75°41′49″ W |
44°52′16″ N, 76°05′01″ W |
From Lower Rideau Lake to the Ottawa River |
73 |
Kemptville Creek |
45°03′20″ N, 75°39′15″ W |
45°01′39″ N, 75°38′29″ W |
From the Highway 43 bridge to the Rideau River |
74 |
Ottawa River |
45°33′59″ N, 74°23′11″ W |
47°07′52″ N, 79°26′45″ W |
From Timiskaming Lake to the St. Lawrence River |
75 |
Canal de Beauharnois |
45°19′13″ N, 73°55′00″ W |
45°13′41″ N, 74°10′12″ W |
Branch of the St. Lawrence River |
76 |
Lachine Canal |
45°29′58″ N, 73°33′06″ W |
45°25′51″ N, 73°40′10″ W |
Branch of the St. Lawrence River |
77 |
Rivière des Mille-Îles |
45°41′56″ N, 73°31′30″ W |
45°31′58″ N, 73°53′05″ W |
Branch of the St. Lawrence River |
78 |
Rivière des Prairies |
45°42′26″ N, 73°28′25″ W |
45°28′24″ N, 73°56′27″ W (south branch) and 45°31′22″ N, 73°53′06″ W (north branch) |
Branch of the St. Lawrence River |
79 |
Richelieu River |
46°02′55″ N, 73°07′10″ W |
45°00′39″ N, 73°20′38″ W |
From the Canada–U.S. border to the St. Lawrence River |
80 |
Rivière Saint-Maurice |
46°21′04″ N, 72°31′12″ W |
46°32′15″ N, 72°46′01″ W |
From the Shawinigan Dam to the St. Lawrence River |
81 |
Soper River |
62°54′25″ N, 69°50′41″ W |
63°32′39″ N, 69°32′43″ W |
From the highlands of the Meta Incognita Peninsula to Soper Lake |
82 |
Saguenay River |
48°07′28″ N, 69°41′07″ W |
48°35′09″ N, 71°47′06″ W |
From Lac Saint-Jean to the St. Lawrence River |
83 |
Restigouche River |
47°59′28″ N, 66°46′10″ W |
47°39′52″ N, 67°29′28″ W |
From the confluence of the Little Main Restigouche River and the Kedgwick River to the Gulf of St. Lawrence |
84 |
St. Croix River |
45°09′54″ N, 67°10′47″ W |
45°34’09" N, 67°25’38" W |
From the Chiputneticook Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean |
85 |
Saint John River |
44°16′00″ N, 66°04′00″ W |
47°10′40″ N, 68°54′01″ W |
From the Canada–U.S. border to the Atlantic Ocean |
86 |
St. Lawrence River |
49°40′00″ N, 64°29′59″ W |
44°06′58″ N, 76°28′43″ W |
From Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean |
87 |
LaHave River |
44°15′59″ N, 64°19′57″ W |
44°23′22″ N, 64°31′53″ W |
From the rapids in Bridgewater to the Atlantic Ocean |
88 |
Margaree River |
46°26′33″ N, 61°06′46″ W |
46°20′08″ N, 61°05′33″ W |
From the Margaree River fork to the Atlantic Ocean |
89 |
Main River |
49°45′52″ N, 56°54′34″ W |
49°58′47″ N, 57°23′37″ W |
From the Long Range Mountains to White Bay |
Coming into Force
2 This Order comes into force on the 30th day after the day on which it is published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order.)
Proposal
Pursuant to subsections 29(1) and (3) of the Canadian Navigable Waters Act (CNWA), this Ministerial Order amends the schedule to the Act by adding 25 rivers to the list of navigable waters and amending references to navigable waters already listed. In addition, the amendments renumber the navigable waters to ensure that they are organized from west to east based on the downstream point longitude.
Objective
The Ministerial Order expands the list of navigable waters that receive extra oversight and protection to include priority waterways that are known to be vulnerable to significant impacts on navigation from development and that are most significant to Canadians. These amendments are part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to restore lost protections for the public right of navigation.
Background
In the 2015 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada made a commitment to review and modernize environmental and regulatory processes. As part of this broader commitment, Transport Canada (TC) reviewed the Navigation Protection Act (NPA) with a view to restoring lost protections and incorporating modern safeguards.
Introduced in 2014, the schedule to the NPA enabled the Act to focus primarily on Canada’s busiest commercial and recreational navigable waters. The schedule listed 164 navigable waters, including the 3 oceans, which are defined to include navigable waters impacted by the tides up to the extent of the tidal influence.
The CNWA, which received royal assent on June 21, 2019, maintains the schedule to designate those navigable waters that receive additional oversight for any works in those waterways that may interfere with navigation. Specifically, any works that may interfere with navigation on a navigable water listed in the schedule, unless they are minor works, are subject to the approval of the Minister of Transport.
Transport Canada committed to considering for inclusion in the schedule to the Act those navigable waters of greatest importance to Canadians and Indigenous peoples, including those navigable waters that are known to be vulnerable to significant impacts on navigation from development. In support of this commitment, TC reviewed a group of 35 waterways — including heritage rivers and the longest wild free-flowing rivers in Canada — using the assessment factors listed in subsection 29(1) of the CNWA.
After completing assessments of the 35 priority waterways, TC determined that 25 of them warrant the extra navigation oversight associated with being listed in the schedule to the Act. The 25 rivers warrant inclusion in the schedule due to the following elements:
- their physical characteristics (e.g. depth, width, portion of the year during which the river is navigable), which are similar to those of the navigable waters already listed in the schedule and which support medium to large scale recreational navigation;
- their connections with other navigable waters, including scheduled waters, thereby creating significant aqueous highways;
- the high level of evidence of past and current use for recreational and commercial navigation; and
- historical and/or current usage of the waters for Indigenous peoples to exercise rights recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.
Implications
This Order expands the list of waterways that are to receive additional oversight by adding 25 rivers to Part 2 of the schedule, amends the existing entry for the Saint John River (New Brunswick) to include the full length of the river from the Canada–U.S. border to the Atlantic Ocean, and clarifies the organization of the schedule from west to east.
Owners proposing to construct, place, alter, rebuild, remove, or decommission a work that may interfere with navigation (other than minor works) in a scheduled navigable water must apply to the Minister of Transport for approval.
Consultation
In June 2019, TC published a list of the 25 rivers that were proposed to be added to the schedule on a priority basis before the launch of the formal application process under the CNWA. Transport Canada also participated in open calls with Indigenous groups, provided technical briefings with members of its provincial and territorial working group, and met with other stakeholders. The consultation paper described the proposed amendments to the schedule and summarized the results of TC’s assessment of the waterways. The paper was open for a 30-day comment period. Transport Canada received 30 written submissions from stakeholders and Indigenous groups, in addition to thousands of letters of support from Canadians.
Overall, the written submissions expressed support for the proposed addition of the navigable waters to the schedule. Transport Canada also heard a desire for an increased level of engagement in the future process for adding navigable waters to the schedule, particularly with Indigenous communities.
Contact
Jacob McBane
Manager
Program Design and Strategic Partnerships
Transport Canada
Email: NPPHQ-PPNAC@tc.gc.ca