Program directory · National Defence

Marine Environmental and Hazards Response

Department

National Defence

Program code

BYY02 (ND)

Core responsibility

Marine Operations and Response

In Departmental Plans

2026-27 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan

What it does

The CCG is the lead federal incident commander responsible for ensuring an appropriate response to all ship-source and mystery pollution spills in Canadian waters and waters under international agreements. The Marine Environmental and Hazards Response (MEHR) program aims to minimize the environmental, economic, and public safety impacts of marine pollution incidents. The program establishes appropriate, risk-based preparedness and response services in Canadian waters; monitors and investigates all reports of marine pollution in Canada in conjunction with other federal departments; and maintains communications with the program’s partners, including TC and ECCC, to ensure a consistent, coordinated approach in response to marine pollution incidents. The Coast Guard's Fleet Operational Readiness and Integrated Technical Services programs contribute to the delivery of the program. MEHR coordinates with other federal departments for surveillance information and scientific advice. It also works closely with ship owners, commercial Response Organizations, and Indigenous communities in preparedness and response activities The program’s legal basis derives from the Oceans Act, the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act, and the Marine Liability Act. The program is also a key component in fulfilling Canada's obligations under international laws and agreements, including the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, 1990.

Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.

History and lineage

First appears in the Departmental Plans in 2026-27. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).

No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.

Significant changes in scope and budget

Success criteria

The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.

Spending and employees: planned against actual

Spending

Employees (FTEs)

Planned spending, plan by plan

Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans

Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.