Canada cabotage
Coasting Trade Act 1992
- Citizenship requirement
- Canadian-flag + Canadian-crewed. Foreign-flag vessels require a Coasting Trade Licence issued when no Canadian-flag alternative available
- Vessel flag required
- Canadian flag for General Licence; foreign-flag on Coasting Trade Licence
- Officer quota
- Canadian-crewed on General Licence; foreign officers on Licence subject to LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment)
- Wage effect
- Canadian-flag seafarer wages competitive with US Jones Act; SIU-Canada + CMSG CBAs
Notes
Coasting Trade Licence process politically contentious — Great Lakes + St Lawrence coastal shipping sector particularly affected. Post-2020 amendments tightened process.