Northern Shelf Bioregion
Marine Traffic Risk Assessment
Centered on First Nations communities of the Northern Shelf Bioregion
About the project
A shared framework for managing marine shipping risk
The Marine Traffic Risk Assessment project is a collaborative initiative led by Northern Shelf Bioregion First Nations and Transport Canada to better understand and manage marine shipping risks across the region. Through Indigenous knowledge, technical expertise, and collaborative engagement, the project will develop a shared risk management framework to support informed decision-making and strengthen marine incident preparedness.
The project is currently underway through a series of collaborative planning meetings and will continue with a two-day, in-person scoping workshop, where participants will help define the assessment's objectives, methodology, and priorities.
Project timeline
From scoping to an ongoing risk register
The assessment runs through March 2028 in three phases. Two in-person workshops, in September 2026 and November 2027, are the points where participants shape the work directly. The risk register and management priorities are then updated on a three-year cycle.
Funding and mandate from the Prime Minister's Office
Two years
Phase 1a: Pre-assessment
June to September 2026
Workshop 1
September 2026
Phase 1b: Risk appraisal
September to December 2026
Phase 2: Characterization and evaluation
January 2027 to January 2028
Workshop 2
November 2027
Phase 3: Risk management
November 2027 to March 2028
Ongoing risk management
Three-year update to the MTRA risk register and management priorities, subject to additional funding
Scoping workshop
September 15–16, 2026 · Vancouver, BC
A two-day, in-person workshop at BCIT Downtown Campus, where participants will help define the assessment's objectives, methodology, and priorities.