Country information
Basic facts on marine waters
- Territorial sea (12 nm zone): 200 000 km2
- Exclusive Economic Zone: 2 900 000 km2
General background/context documents
- Canada’s Ocean Strategy
- National Framework for Canada’s Network of Marine Protected Areas
- Canada-British Columbia Marine Protected Area Network Strategy
- Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Science Advisory Reports
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s National Guidance for Marine Spatial Planning
- Blue Economy Regulatory Roadmap
- Pathways of Effects – National Guidelines
- Gulf of St. Lawrence Integrated Management Plan
- Placentia Bay/Grand Banks Large Ocean Management Area Integrated Management Plan
- Integrated Ocean Management Plan for the Beaufort Sea: 2009 and beyond
- Regional Oceans Plan for the Scotian Shelf, Atlantic Coast and the Bay of Fundy: Implementation priorities
Technical resources related to MSP
Relevant MSP projects
- Southern British Columbia – Southern British Columbia Marine Spatial Planning Framework
- Pacific North Coast – MPA Network BC Northern Shelf Initiative (2023) Network Action Plan – a summary
- Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves – Marine Spatial Planning Framework for the Newfoundland and Labrador region
- Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence – Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence Planning Area
- Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy – First-generation Marine Spatial Plan: Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy
Current status of MSP
Name of the plan |
Pacific North Coast |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2023 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
approximately 102 000 km2 |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Completed |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Completed |
Plan development
|
Status: Completed |
Plan completion
|
Status: Completed |
Plan approval
|
Status: Completed |
Plan implementation |
Status: Underway |
Plan review
|
Status: N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
Sub-national |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
N/A |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
Zoning |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
N/A |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
Guiding |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
Biodiversity conservation |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
Partial allocation |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
Collaborative |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
Government |
Name of the plan |
Southern British Columbia |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2024 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
approximately 37 165 km2 |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Completed |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Completed |
Plan development
|
Status: Completed |
Plan completion
|
Status: Completed |
Plan approval
|
Status: Completed |
Plan implementation |
Status: N/A |
Plan review
|
Status: N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
Local |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
Coastal and Marine |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
Strategic |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
Informal |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
Guiding |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
Limited |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
Sectors & Public |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
Collaborative |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
Government |
Name of the plan |
Scotian Shelf – Bay of Fundy |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2024 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
476 000 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Completed |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Completed |
Plan development
|
Status: Completed |
Plan completion
|
Status: Completed |
Plan approval
|
Status: Completed |
Plan implementation |
Status: Underway |
Plan review
|
Status: N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
Sub-national |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
Coastal and Marine |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
Strategic |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
Informal |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
Guiding |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
Partial allocation |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
Key sectors |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
Consultative |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
Government |
Name of the plan |
Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
2024 |
Size of planning area in km2
|
approximately 1 000 000 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Completed |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Completed |
Plan development
|
Status: Completed |
Plan completion
|
Status: Completed |
Plan approval
|
Status: Completed |
Plan implementation |
Status: Underway |
Plan review
|
Status: N/A |
MSP Typology |
|
|---|---|
Scale (Local/ Sub-national/ National)
|
Sub-national |
Scope (Coastal Zone /Coastal and Marine /Marine)
|
Coastal and Marine |
Purpose (Strategic /Zoning /Comprehensive)
|
Strategic |
Political commitment (Informal /Executive decision / Legal statute)
|
Informal |
Implementation framework (Guiding /Legally binding)
|
Guiding |
Main objectives (Biodiversity conservation / Economic development / Multiple objectives)
|
Multiple objectives |
Spatial allocation (Limited / Partial allocation /Detailed allocation)
|
Limited |
Stakeholders involved (Limited /Key sectors /Sectors & Public)
|
Key sectors |
Participatory process (Informative /Consultative /Collaborative)
|
Consultative |
Funding (Government /Public-Private /Grants)
|
Government |
Name of the plan |
Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
approximately 240 000 km² |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Underway |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Underway |
Plan development
|
Status: N/A |
Plan completion
|
Status: N/A |
Plan approval
|
Status: N/A |
Plan implementation |
Status: N/A |
Plan review
|
Status: N/A |
Name of the plan |
Salish Sea |
|---|---|
Year of approval
|
N/A |
Size of planning area in km2
|
N/A |
Authority leading the MSP process
|
N/A |
Current status |
|
|---|---|
Pre-planning |
Status: Underway |
Assessments for planning |
Status: Underway |
Plan development
|
Status: N/A |
Plan completion
|
Status: N/A |
Plan approval
|
Status: N/A |
Plan implementation |
Status: N/A |
Plan review
|
Status: N/A |
National authority in charge of MSP |
Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
Governmental funding |
Approximately 90 million CAD |
External funding |
N/A |
Public-private funding |
N/A |
Size of planning area |
N/A |
Time required to complete the plans |
Four first-generation marine spatial plans are to be complete by 2024 |
Main issues that led to the adoption of MSP (drivers): |
MSP processes were advanced to coordinate and guide how Canada uses and manages marine spaces to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives:
|
Stakeholder engagement activities: |
One of the key features of these MSP processes will be the establishment of governance structures that involve other authorities (i.e., national and sub-national government authorities and Indigenous interests) as partners
Opportunities for stakeholder participation (e.g., industry, environmental non-government organizations [ENGOs], local communities) will be provided to inform plan development |
Sectors included in planning |
Relevant sectors, such as marine industries (fishing; shipping; mining; offshore oil and gas; renewable energy; tourism; etc.) will have the opportunity to be involved throughout these MSP processes |
Articulation between MSP and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)
|
Canada’s Oceans Act provides the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard with the authority to work with other federal departments and agencies, sub-national governments, Indigenous peoples and stakeholders to lead the development and implementation of plans for the integrated management of all activities or measures in or affecting estuaries, coastal waters, and marine waters that form part of Canada or in which Canada has sovereign rights under international law. Management of the coastal zone in Canada falls under the direct authority of sub-national governments (i.e., provinces and territories). Through the direct involvement of these sub-national governments in MSP processes, there may be opportunities to better integrate MSP and coastal management planning processes for mutually beneficial outcomes. |
Articulation between MSP and marine conservation (including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) |
MSP compliments a number of parallel efforts such as meetings Canada’s marine conservation target of 30 per cent by 2030. With the collation of data and knowledge, collaborative governance, and the development of decision-support tools, MSP can support Canada’s ongoing conservation efforts.
Canada’s 2030 National Nature Strategy describes the path in which Canada will implement and support the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – including Target 1 on spatial planning. Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy: MSP supports sustainable development by taking into account environmental, economic, social and cultural values, with the aim of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs |
Articulation between MSP and sustainable blue economy |
Canada is developing a comprehensive blue economy strategy that will seek to grow Canada’s ocean and freshwater economy and support the long-term sustainable growth of Canada’s fish and seafood sector, ensuring Canada is positioned to succeed in the fast-growing global ocean sectors of the blue economy and advancing reconciliation, conservation and climate objectives. Marine Spatial Planning is an important mechanism through which different goals can be achieved, including those for a robust blue economy. |
Articulation between MSP and climate change (including the Paris Agreement |
Climate change considerations are not fully integrated in the MSP process at this time. Further policy/guidance on integration of climate change consideration in MSP may be developed at a later time. |
Plan approval process |
Approval processes are not defined under policy/legislation at this time and may be developed at a later time |
Legal status of the plan (guiding or legally binding) |
Plans themselves do not have legal status though there is a regulatory requirement in Canada which stipulates that plans of this kind must be taken into consideration by the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change to inform federal environmental/impact assessment processes/decisions. |
Plan review process |
Processes for plan revision are not defined under policy/legislation and may be developed at a later time |
Performance monitoring and evaluation |
Processes for performance monitoring and evaluation are not defined under policy/legislation and may be developed at a later time |
Interactions with neighbouring countries in the context of MSP attending transboundary coherence approaches |
There are no transboundary MSP initiatives underway at this time. |
Legal framework
The primary legal basis supporting MSP in Canada is the Oceans Act (1996), which requires the development and implementation of plans for the integrated management of Canada’s coastal and marine environment.
Contact
Kathy Graham – Director General, Marine Planning and Conservation