The Shipping Federation recently submitted a brief to Transport Canada on the Ports Modernization Review, which provides the government with a number of recommendations for modernizing the system from an ocean shipping perspective. These include:
- Modernizing the current port governance structure by making it part of a broader national transportation policy that views ports from a trade corridor and national interest perspective;
- Strengthening the mechanism for reviewing the user fees established by Canada Port Authorities by providing that such fees can be appealed on the grounds that they are prejudicial to the public interest;
- Establishing a comprehensive national strategy for developing a green ship incentive program for Canada Port Authorities across the country;
- Working with ports to develop and implement digital platforms that facilitate the electronic submission of data by multiple trade chain partners via a single portal (e.g. port community systems, maritime single window).
The full text of the Federation’s brief can be found at this LINK.