Transport Canada operates the Canad

Transport Canada operates the Canadian Ballast Water Program11 in response to significant national concern with the introduction of alien invasive species by international shipping. The programme includes management for five Canadian regions – Arctic, Atlantic coast, St. Lawrence Seaway, Great Lakes and Pacific coast. Concern may be greatest for the Great Lakes, as over 170 aquatic alien invasive species have been established in the region. Of these, over 70% are thought to have been introduced through ship ballast water.

The Canadian programme has undertaken studies and actions supportive of the IMO

Global Ballast Water Management Programme, supporting local investigations and information sharing. Canada ratified the IMO Ballast Water Convention on 8 April 2010, and Transport Canada is currently working on these regulations under Canada Shipping Act, 2001. Given the shared water resources with the United States, collaborative studies have been active with related US agencies. Until recently (2006), Canada had voluntary guidelines for ballast exchange. All ships entering Canadian waters were expected to exchange ballast water outside of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with some exceptions during heavy seas. Currently, the Ballast Water Management Program has a mandatory ballast management requirement with four allowed options for ship ballast: