Canadian Coast Guard Issues $75,000 Penalty for a Hazardous Vessel

In April 2026, the Canadian Coast Guard, under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, issued an Administrative Monetary Penalty of $75,000 to the owner of the MV Breeze, a deteriorating 27-metre wooden tug on the Fraser River in Richmond, British Columbia.

July 27, 2026 – Vancouver, British Columbia – National Defence / Canadian Coast Guard

In April 2026, the Canadian Coast Guard, under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, issued an Administrative Monetary Penalty of $75,000 to the owner of the MV Breeze, a deteriorating 27-metre wooden tug on the Fraser River in Richmond, British Columbia.

The owner of the tug, who failed to take action to address their vessel and comply with a direction issued under the Act, was required to pay the penalty within 30 days or apply for a review hearing with the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada (TATC) by May 2, 2026.

On June 24, 2026, the TATC confirmed that the vessel owner had not paid the fine, nor requested a review. The certificate of debt will now be registered with the Federal Court for future recovery.

Wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous vessels can pose threats to the environment, local communities, and economies. The Government of Canada continues to take action to address problem vessels and hold vessel owners accountable.

The Canadian Coast Guard asks for the public’s assistance in reporting wrecked, abandoned or hazardous vessels. 

Vessel owners are responsible for maintaining and keeping their boats in good working order and properly disposing of the vessel when it reaches the end of its life. 

The Canadian Coast Guard maintains a publicly available national inventory of reported wrecked and abandoned boats across Canada to better track these boats and prioritize which ones should be dealt with first. To date, more than 2,000 wrecked, abandoned or hazardous boats have been reported.