Northern Low-Impact Shipping Corridors

Official title: OPP: Northern Low-Impact Shipping Corridors

Closed Policy & Studies Environment & Climate Indigenous & Northern Transportation
The federal government worked with Indigenous partners to figure out where ships should and shouldn't go in Canada's North. The goal? Protect wildlife and culturally sensitive areas while making Arctic shipping safer. This consultation ran from April 2021 to July 2022 and is now closed.

Why This Matters

Live in the North? This affects how shipping traffic moves through your waters. Indigenous communities had direct input on protecting hunting grounds and culturally important areas. The decisions made here will shape Arctic shipping routes for years to come.

What Could Change

New shipping corridors could be established that steer vessels away from sensitive wildlife habitats and culturally important areas. A governance framework will determine how these corridors are managed, with Indigenous partners having a formal role in decision-making.

Key Issues

  • Which geographic areas should ships avoid to protect wildlife and culturally sensitive sites?
  • What governance structure should manage the low-impact shipping corridors?
  • Where should investments be prioritized to enhance marine navigation safety in the North?

How to Participate

  1. This consultation is now closed. It ran from April 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022. For questions about the initiative, contact dfo.ccgcorridors-corridorsdelagcc.mpo@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

What Happened

The consultation engaged Inuit, First Nations, and Métis organizations and governments, as well as territorial and provincial governments, industry, NGOs, and academia. Input gathered will be used to establish an appropriate governance structure to design and manage the low-impact corridors.