The Canadian Ferry Association will be distributing important information on COVID-19 related issues to our members.
We will be continuing to act as the sector’s link to Transport Canada in order to facilitate a strong and consistent flow of information between the two parties as the situation develops. We will work as the single point of contact with Transport Canada in order to help limit workload and ease the strain on their resources.
Regardless of whether you are a member, if you operate a ferry and you need some information, we’ll provide it to you. If you have questions, we will ensure you get a response.
Thank you for your cooperation.
November 7 – Ottawa
A lack of qualified seafarers is an issue that touches all corners of the marine sector – including passenger vessels across the country.
Without qualified personnel, ferry vessels that are a vital part of the daily commute of many Canadians and provide connections to remote parts of the country, would not able to operate.
The ferry industry is working closely with the federal government to find ways to attract more Canadians – including women and Indigenous people – to the marine sector. Our sector is also looking for ways to provide support for our current marine workforce to obtain additional certifications and support their progression. This includes considering modifications to the EI rules to accommodate training for current employees.
In addition, we look forward to working with Transport Canada on amending the minimum safe manning requirements and the marine personnel regulations, both of which are crucial to the ferry industry’s ability to staff the current fleet of vessels, as well as recruit and retain future workers.
This lack of qualified personnel is a significant challenge, and the Canadian Ferry Association is focused on solutions. We believe that by industry stakeholders and government working together, we can develop and implement measures that will improve the marine sector as a whole.
We look forward to welcoming the workforce of tomorrow.
À propos de l'ACT
The Canadian Ferry Association is the national voice of ferries in Canada. Our members operate with the highest professional and operational standards and promote the safe operation of ferry services in Canada. With over 53 million passengers, 21 million vehicles and billions of dollars of goods transported annually, the ferry sector is a crucial part of Canada’s infrastructure.
Visit www.canadianferry.ca for more information. Follow us on Twitter @cdnferry.
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For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Serge Buy, CEO
(613) 686-3838
SAINT JOHN, Wed. Sep. 18, 2019: Members of the Canadian Ferry Association (CFA), including ferry owners, operators and suppliers, met in Saint John over the last few days to talk best practices with a focus on Innovation dans l’expérience client.
Two days of presentations, panels and technical sessions wrapped up Tuesday night with a Gala Dinner in Uptown Saint John.
Along with the economic impact of bringing its conference to the Port City, the Canadian Ferry Association made a lasting impression by donating more than $30,000 to the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation.
Half of that was raised through a live auction, with good-natured and competitive bidding from CFA members from right across Canada. Then, the Association itself matched the bids to bring the generous gift to $30,270.
“Our members are in the business of making connections,” says CFA CEO Serge Buy. “They live, work and contribute to the communities we visit, and to provide a boost to a good cause is in our nature. We are thrilled to assist the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation with its efforts to expand and renovate Clinic 1 in its GIVE Campaign.”
“Our region is sewn together with threads of river and ocean ferry crossings,” says Saint John Regional Hospital President and CEO Jeff McAloon. ”They are a part of our everyday lives and are integral to our business, social and tourism development. To have this support from an industry that is so vital to New Brunswick shows how invested its members are in their communities.”
The donation will be an important piece of The GIVE: Clinic 1 expansion and renovation. Construction is expected to begin before the end of this year. The Foundation is in an ambitious, four-year, 12 million-dollar plan to double the square footage of the clinic, which has not seen substantive improvement in almost 40 years.
Au sujet de l’Association canadienne des traversiers
The Canadian Ferry Association (CFA) is the national voice of the ferry industry in Canada. Our members adhere to the highest professional and operational standards and promote the safe delivery of ferry services across Canada. CFA is a member-based organization representing Canadian ferry owners, operators and industry stakeholders across the country. CFA has more than 90 members, with our owner/operator members accounting for nearly all of the major ferry routes in Canada.
About the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation
The Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation raises money for medical projects, spaces and tools not covered by traditional government funding. It also supports mental wellness, research, education and patient comfort. Many of the projects supported by the Foundation’s fundraising are suggested by health care professionals who see a patient need not being met. Learn more at thegive.ca .
See the official announcement here.
The Canadian Ferry Association (CFA) held its annual conference in Saint John, New Brunswick from September 15 to 17. The Saint John Conference broke new records: attendance, exhibitors and funds raised for a charitable cause.
"This is undoubtedly the best CFA conference to date," said CFA Chair, Captain Jamie Marshall.
Presentations made at the conference will be available to members and attendees in the near future.
For further information on the Conference or to reserve a spot for the next conference, contact Christine Helm (chelm@canadianferry.ca).
The Canadian Ferry Association (CFA) recently participated in international meetings and discussions of relevance to the ferry sector.
At first, CFA attended (April 27-May 5) a meeting of the Human Training Element and Watchkeeping Subcommittee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Canadian government included the Canadian Ferry Association's CEO as an observer with the Canadian delegation. In this case, there were discussions on issues related to women in the marine sector, training and certification of crews.
CFA also had meetings with other organizations such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (of which Canada is a member) and the International Labour Organization. In these meetings, CFA discussed issues such as:
Our association's CEO also attended (June 5-14) a meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee of the IMO as part of the Canadian delegation first then as part of Interferry's delegation. Our CEO spoke on behalf of Interferry, and the Canadian ferry sector, to support China's proposal to have IMO look at domestic ferry safety. We also voiced our concern on other measures related to life jackets. Finally we also attended and participated in the development of voluntary IMO guidance on marine autonomous surface ships trials.
Canada functions in an increasingly interconnected world. Developments thousands of kilometres away may have a real impact on operations in Canada. CFA is taking measures to monitor regulatory changes and developments happening in other countries and international organizations.
The establishment of the $695,000, five-year industrial research chair in the School of Maritime Studies was announced by Serge Buy, chief executive officer, Canadian Ferry Association, and Glenn Blackwood, vice-president, Memorial University (Marine Institute).
“Members across the country have helped the association fund this effort in order to enhance knowledge on key issues related to the ferry sector,” said Mr. Buy.
“This announcement is the culmination of efforts that started in 2017 by the association. The impact will be felt throughout the country, including in remote and Indigenous communities where ferries play an important role.”
“I thank the Canadian Ferry Association for its confidence in the Marine Institute with this investment in our research, education and mainly, our people,” said Mr. Blackwood.
“Industrial research chairs reinforce our strong partnerships with the oceans industries we serve. It ensures that the research that follows is responsive to current and future needs, accessible, and beneficial to our stakeholders, in this case, those who operate and use our national ferry transportation system.”
The funding of the industrial research chair will make it possible for the institute to expand its research capabilities into technologies used on marine passenger vessels, recruit elite researchers, and develop new academic programming in this field.
“The impact will be felt throughout the country, including in remote and Indigenous communities where ferries play an important role.”
The chair, along with post-doctoral fellows and graduate students, will conduct research related to new marine technologies and how they will benefit the marine passenger transportation industry.
The research will focus on emerging technologies in the areas of efficient propulsion systems, robotics and autonomous systems, analysis of data collected onboard vessels, and underwater radiated noises.
The research will take a multi-year approach in collaboration with stakeholders in the marine industry and faculty from the Marine Institute.
The selection process to fill the CFA Industrial Research Chair will begin immediately with a researcher to be announced by fall 2019.
The industrial research chair will have access to research and testing facilities at the Marine Institute, including its Holyrood Marine Base and suite of maritime simulators, and will be provided support by Canadian Ferry Association members.
The chair is expected to foster collaboration in related transportation sectors across the country and internationally and develop new graduate programming at the Marine Institute in the marine passenger transportation field.
A nine-member steering committee will provide advice and recommendations on the progress of the chair’s research.
The CFA chair is the third research chair established at the Marine Institute since 2017. It joins the Ocean Choice International Chair in Fish Stock Assessment and Sustainable Harvest Advice for Northwest Atlantic Fisheries and the Canada Research Chair in Ocean Mapping.
Since 1987 CFA has represented the interests of the ferry sector in Canada. It encourages high standards for safe, reliable, cost effective and environmentally responsible passenger vessel management. CFA has approximately 100 members, with its owner/operator members accounting for nearly all of the major ferry routes in Canada. Collectively, CFA’s members carry more than 55 million passengers and 22 million vehicles annually.
Via the Memorial University Gazette.
The Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC) concluded its Spring 2019 meeting.
CFA participated in some of the committees, including:
Presentations can, upon request, be sent out to CFA members. Please contact kbaldwin@canadianferry.ca for further the documents.
The federal government created a Marine Industry Advisory Committee (MIAC). The intent is to facilitate dialogue surrounding the opportunities and challenges facing the Canadian Marine Industry.
Federal participants include Public Services and Procurement Canada, National Defence, Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Transport Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
Industry participants include various industry associations and some companies.
The Canadian Ferry Association (CFA)'s CEO, Serge Buy, made a presentation to the Senate of Canada Standing Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources in relation to Bill C-69.
Information provided by Transport Canada would have cable ferries subject to Major Work Orders under Bill C-69. This would increase the burden for operators with no real safety benefit.
CFA asked the Committee to amend the legislation and provide more clarity.
The presentation can be viewed ici pour from time 8:08:54 to 9:08:49.
The Canadian Ferry Association (CFA) is pleased with measures announced in the 2019 Budget.
Support for Eastern ferries on routes where the federal government has a constitutional and historical responsibility has been strengthened. Indeed, the federal government is extending the Canada Ferry Services Contribution program until 2022 and plans to procure three new ferries - one for Marine Atlantic (between Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia), one to replace the MV Madeleine (between Québec and PEI) and the other to replace the MV Holiday Highland (between PEI and Nova Scotia).
The government is also investing further resources in infrastructure projects and we expect the eligibility criteria to enable support for some projects related to ferries.
CFA is concerned that duty redemption for the refit/repairs of passenger vessels has not yet been granted. The existing 25% duty is a barrier for ferry owners and operators to upgrade their fleets in order to better protect the environment (such as switching to LNG) or to limit underwater radiated noises (especially for Southern Resident Killer Whales on the West Coast and belugas in the Gulf of Saint-Lawrence). We look forward to a continued discussion on this issue.
Other measures related to pilotage modernization, the Transportation Appeal Tribunal and support for tourism are positive steps taken by the government.