Live operations

• The last of three problem vessels has been successfully removed from the marine environment in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
• The Hannah Atlantic has been deconstructed and removed from the site.
• Work will continue over the coming weeks to completely remediate and clean the site.
• We ask the public to please continue avoiding the area while Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) personnel and contractors are on site.
• Members of the public who see a marine pollution incident or a marine hazard are encouraged to report the incident to the CCG at 1-800-565-1633.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as work progresses.

• The second of three problem vessels has been successfully removed from the marine environment in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
• The Cape Rouge has been deconstructed and removed from the site.
• Work will continue to safely disassemble and dispose of the Hannah Atlantic from the area and clean the site.
• We ask the public to please avoid the area due to safety concerns while Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) personnel and contractors are on site.
• Members of the public who see a marine pollution incident or a marine hazard are encouraged to report the incident to the CCG at 1-800-565-1633.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as work progresses

• The first of three problem vessels has been successfully removed from the marine environment in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.
• The Rupert Brand VI has been deconstructed and removed from the site in multiple pieces over the last few weeks.
• Work will continue over the coming months to safely disassemble and dispose of the Hannah Atlantic and Cape Rouge vessels from the area.
• We ask the public to please avoid the area due to safety concerns while Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) personnel and contractors are on site.
• CCG thanks the community for their cooperation while work continues for this large operation.
• Members of the public who see a marine pollution incident or a marine hazard are encouraged to report the incident to the CCG at 1-800-565-1633.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as work progresses.

• Work is underway in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia to remove three problem vessels from the marine environment.
• The Hannah Atlantic, Cape Rouge, and the Rupert Brand VI have been in the area for a number of years and all show signs of disrepair.
• This operation is expected to take approximately six months, and will include the removal of all bulk pollutants, removal of hazardous material as applicable, on-site removal of each vessel, and site remediation.
• We ask the public to please avoid the area once CCG is on site, due to safety concerns.
• Members of the public who see a marine pollution incident or a marine hazard are encouraged to report the incident to the Canadian Coast Guard at 1-800-565-1633.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as work progresses.

• The CCG has confirmed that the source of pollution comes from a storm outfall that flows into the St. Lawrence River.
• The CCG, which has acted as the incident command centre in this case, transferred command to the Government of Quebec, via the ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP), since the source of the pollution was not marine.
• If requested by the Government of Quebec, through an official federal request for assistance, the CCG will support the MELCCFP in the recovery of oil that was spilled in the waters of the St. Lawrence River.
• For more information on the next steps in the procedure, please contact the MELCCFP.

• On Thursday, July 25, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) received a report confirming a new oil slick at the Pointe-aux-Trembles Marina.
• The CCG has sent staff to the scene. Booms were deployed, a suction truck was on site to collect the dirty water, and absorbents were also placed in the water.
• The CCG deployed air support using a drone and helicopter to assess the situation.
• To accelerate initial response efforts, the CCG has again mobilized the company Urgence Marine Envrionnement, which is on the site. The CCG has also been in contact with Urgence Environnement Québec, the ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the ministère de la Sécurité publique (MSP).
• The pollution source is currently unknown, but the CCG continues to collaborate with the MELCCFP and ECCC.
• For this environmental response, the CCG's mandate is to put in place the necessary measures to ensure public safety, and to protect and clean up the environment.

• The results of aerial observations over the past few days confirm that there are no other visible contaminats in the area, and that there is no trace of visible shimmering in the containments.
• A total of 19,000 litres (a mixture of water and oil) was recovered during the operations, which contained approximately 1,000 litres of oil.
• Over the past few days, our teams have completed the seagrass cleaning operations.
• Environmental agencies assessed the quality of the cleanup on Friday morning (19 July). The result indicates that the cleaning is satisfactory and that our teams will be able to leave the area for the end of the operation, at the beginning of the week.
• The withdrawal stages include:
  • the removal of booms and other equipment used during the intervention
  • the decontamination of this equipment
  • the disposal of waste generated in compliance with waste management rules
  • the final withdrawal of our teams
• The investigation did not determine the source of the pollution.

• Today, July 14, CCG is continuing to recover hydrocarbons and decontaminate the seagrass beds and shoreline. Operations are going well, and a lot of progress has been made.
• As of this morning, July 14, a total of 14,000 liters (a mixture of water and hydrocarbons) has been recovered.
• With the help of a decontamination station and the support of Urgence Marine Environment, CCG continues to clean pleasure crafts soiled by hydrocarbons.
• CCG will also continue to investigate with partners to try to confirm the source of the pollution.
• A speed reduction notice for recreational and commercial boating operations is still in effect to reduce the impact of waves on floating barriers containing pollution.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as the situation evolves.

• The results of helicopter observations on July 12 confirm that there is no further visible contamination on the islands in the area, nor on the north and south shores of the St. Lawrence between Verchères and the Jacques Cartier Bridge.
• Observation from drones has also confirmed that the pollution is well contained within the recovery zone.
• Today, July 13, CCG will continue to recover hydrocarbons and begin decontamination of the seagrass beds and shoreline.
• With the help of a decontamination station and the support of Urgence Marine Environment, CCG will also proceed to clean pleasure crafts soiled by hydrocarbons.
• The CCG will also continue its investigation with partners to find the source of the pollution, which remains unknown.
• The navigation ban in the area has been lifted and replaced by a speed reduction notice in the sector of the operations. The speed reduction applies to pleasure crafts and commercial vessels to reduce the impact of waves on the floating barriers containing the pollution.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as the situation evolves.

• The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) crews were on site all day, actively containing the spill and recovering the pollutant, which the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la lutte aux changements climatiques et de la faune et des parcs du Québec has determined to be used motor oil.
• By 1 p.m. on July 12, CCG had collected a 3,000-litre mixture of water and hydrocarbons and by 5 p.m., a total of 7,000 litres.
• Helicopters conducted surveillance flights to check for hydrocarbons elsewhere in the vicinity.
• The source and quantity of the product forming the slick are still unknown. Efforts to confirm them are still underway.
• The investigation into the incident is ongoing; recovery operations have wrapped-up for the day and will begin again early tomorrow morning.

Advice to the public

• CCG reminds the public not to approach the spill.
• CCG recommends that owners of soiled boats remain on site to ensure they are cleaned up. By doing so, you won't be carrying the pollution on your next outing on the water.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as the situation evolves.

• On Thursday, July 11, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) received a report confirming a pollution spill from an unknown source offshore between 13th Avenue and Avenue du Tricentenaire, near Montreal.
• The CCG has mobilized personnel to the scene and has been in contact with Urgence Environnement Québec, which is also on site. To speed up initial response efforts, CCG has also called on Urgence Marine Environnement for support who has deployed boom to contain the spill.
• The CCG is working with the contractor on a remediation plan for the soiled shoreline and has contacted Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Canadian Wildlife Services (CWS) regarding the oiled birds seen in the area.
• CCG is currently investigating the incident with its response partners to identify the source of the pollution and is actively engaged in recovery operations.
• CCG is advising the public to stay away from pollution spills.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as the situation evolves.

• The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) continues to monitor, contain, and recover the low amount of pollution and debris from sunken vessels in the containment zone.
• The CCG will remain on site to control pollution until the salvage operations are complete.

Refloating plan

• On July 17, the insurance company awarded a bailout contract to a new contractor.
• The new refloating plan has been received, evaluated, and approved.
• The CCG expects the barge that will serve as a work platform for the salvage of the wrecks to arrive at Grande-Entrée on Monday, July 22.
• Refloating operations will begin shortly after and are expected to take about 12 days to complete. Unforeseen events or weather could have an impact on the duration of the work.

• The Canadian Coast Guard continues to monitor and contain low amounts of pollution and debris from sunken vessels in the containment zone.
• Due to rain overnight on July 9, the last vessel remaining afloat partially sank, causing a further release of hydrocarbons into the containment area. This discharge was recovered.
• Divers conducted an inspection on July 9, and discussions are underway to assess the situation based on observations in the dive report.

Refloating plan

• As of July 10, the contractor that was appointed to carry out the refloating plan withdrew from operations.
• The Canadian Coast Guard is waiting on insurance to identify a new contractor, who will provide a new plan. Once submitted, the plan will be reviewed by the Canadian Coast Guard and its partners. When the issues have been addressed and the plan accepted, it can be implemented.
• In the meantime, we remain on site to continue pollution and debris control, and recovery operations within the containment zone.

• Debris and pollutant recovery is still ongoing.
• A new aerial observation confirmed there is no pollution outside the containment booms.
• In the afternoon of July 2, the Canadian Coast Guard carried out a marine observation mission. A few pieces of debris were observed on the île du Chenal and on the South Dune.
• We continue to work with federal and provincial partners to assess the situation and determine next steps.
• This is the final update shared by the Canadian Coast Guard on the status of the situation unless there is a significant change.

• Debris and pollutant recovery is happening in the harbour of Grande-Entrée, Magdalen Islands.
• The current pollution is confined by containment booms in the water.
• Shoreline observations by partners revealed the presence of debris, but no pollution.
• Further aerial surveys are scheduled for today.
• The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier, visited the site mid-afternoon on July 1.
• The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
• We continue to work with federal and provincial partners to assess the situation and determine next steps.

• The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) confirms that a fourth boat of the 5 boats affected by the fire sank last night, June 30.
• A CCG Environmental Response Team arrived late yesterday, June 30, and another is on its way today, July 1.
• Aerial observations were made yesterday. According to initial analyses, the estimated amount of pollutant in the water is between 18 and 220 litres of hydrocarbons. However, the containment was completed yesterday and the hydrocarbons are now contained in the vicinity of the wharf.
• Pollutant and debris recovery is expected to begin today.
• Fish harvesters not affected by the fire were able to go fishing today.
• CCG continues to work with federal and provincial partners to assess the situation and determine next steps.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as the situation evolves.

• The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) was notified early in the morning of June 30, 2024, of a fire aboard a fishing vessel in the harbour of Grande-Entrée, Magdalen Islands. The fire spread to four adjacent fishing boats.
• Three of the five vessels sank.
• The fire is now under control.
• There was no one on board the boats, and therefore no injuries.
• The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
• There is a risk of pollution. A CCG environmental response team is on its way to the scene.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is also on site, sharing real-time information in the meantime. The CCG search and rescue station at Cap-aux-Meules, 30 km to the south, is ready to assist if required.
• CCG is working with federal, provincial, and municipal partners to assess the situation and determine next steps.

Further updates will be provided as they are available and as the situation evolves.