Canadian Coast Guard 'has neglected oil spill risk assessment'

The Canadian Coast Guard has not carried out a national risk assessment relating to oil spills from ships for a decade, a new report has revealed.

A study from commissioner of the environment and sustainable development Scott Vaughn revealed the response plan the country has in place should such an incident occur needs to be updated urgently.

"I am troubled that the government is not ready to respond to a major spill," he remarked, stating the Coast Guard has no system that enables it to track when spills occur in Canada's waters, meaning it cannot determine the environmental aspects associated with a leak.

"We note several areas of concern, from incomplete risk assessments to out-of-date emergency response plans," Mr Vaughn remarked, adding these need to be addressed as soon as possible.

Responding to the report, environment minister John Baird said the government is "taking action" and has a commitment to preparing for environmental emergencies.