Ballast Water Innovation Program

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The Ballast Water Innovation Program (BWIP) is supporting Transport Canada’s efforts to implement the 2021 Ballast Water Regulations. Vessels need to use a Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) to comply with the Regulations and reduce the risk of introducing and spreading aquatic invasive species in Canada. The BWIP will help industry address technical and operational challenges with BWMS in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River (GLSLR) region, whose waters are cold, fresh, and mixed with sediment. Specifically, the objectives of the BWIP are to provide funding, in the form of contributions, to implement projects that will: support industry efforts to advance solutions to address technical challenges with the installation, operation and maintenance of BWMS on vessels in the GLSLR region thereby increasing environmental protection; and increase the availability of data/information on the installation, operation and maintenance of BWMS in the GLSLR to: inform the implementation of the Regulations; inform Canada-U.S. discussions about regulatory compatibility; and support Canada’s international efforts to improve the Ballast Water Management Convention.