Residents in Prince Rupert will see increased activity on the water today, April 21, 2026, as the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation conducts a routine emergency preparedness drill in the harbour. This training exercise involves partners from the Canadian Coast Guard, the Prince Rupert Port Authority, and Environment Canada.
The operation is intended to test coordination and response capabilities for potential marine incidents. While residents may notice spill response vessels and crews deploying equipment, there is no actual spill or emergency taking place.
Prince Rupert serves as the main hub for the corporation’s North Coast operations. The local facility at 101 Dry Dock Road houses 10 personnel, along with a skimming vessel, landing craft, and various workboats used to maintain readiness. The organization is the only group certified by Transport Canada to provide marine spill response across the west coast, covering 27,000 kilometres of shoreline.
During these drills, crews focus on mechanical recovery tactics. This includes using booms to contain oil, along with skimmers to remove it from the water surface for collection in storage vessels. The organization, which manages approximately 20 spill responses annually, utilizes these regular exercises to ensure teams are prepared to protect local waters.
These training efforts are supported by a $150 million investment from the Trans Mountain expansion project, which funded 43 new vessels and barges. This investment has been used to double the organization’s response capacity and reduce the time it takes to deploy equipment in the event of a real emergency.
