Info Source
Sources of Federal Government and Employee Information
Atlantic Pilotage Authority
Introduction to Info Source
March 4, 2025
Info Source describes the programs and activities, and the information holdings related to programs and activities, of government institutions subject to the Access to Information Act to facilitate the right of access. It also provides individuals, including current and former employees of the Government of Canada, with relevant information to access personal information about themselves held by government institutions subject to the Privacy Act and to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act.
An index of institutions that are subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act is available centrally.
The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act assign overall responsibility to the President of Treasury Board (as the designated Minister) for the government-wide administration of the legislation.
Table of Contents
General Information
Institutional Programs and Activities
Additional Information
General Information
Background
As a result of recommendations made by the Royal Commission on Pilotage in Canada, the Pilotage Act was assented to by Her Majesty and the Governor-in-Council and proclaimed February 1, 1972. More information on the Atlantic Pilotage Authority can be found here.
The Pilotage Act created four pilotage regions – Atlantic, Great Lakes, Laurentian, and Pacific, with specific authorities; thereby, replacing a large number of local pilotage districts. The Atlantic Pilotage Authority reports to Parliament through the Minister of Transport.
The Atlantic Pilotage Authority (APA) was established in 1972 pursuant to the Pilotage Act and is defined by the Financial Administration Act, (Schedule SC 1983-84, 31) designated as a Schedule III Part I Crown corporation.
Responsibilities
The role of the Authority is to establish, operate, maintain and administer, in the interest of safety, an efficient and economical pilotage service within its geographical boundaries, which includes all coastal waters in the Atlantic region. As a further goal, the Authority prescribes tariffs of pilotage charges that are fair, reasonable and consistent with providing revenues sufficient to permit the Authority to operate on a self-sustaining financial basis. More on the Mission, Vision, Core Values and Corporate Objectives of the Authority can be found here.
The APA is responsible for complying with the General Pilotage Regulations.
Institutional Programs and Activities
Licenses and Pilotage Certificates
Attestation that pilots meet the physical, mental, security and knowledge criteria to pilot ships, or classes of ships, in the pilotage region, or an area thereof.
Assessing pilot credentials and training results
Description: Information pertaining to the issuance of licences and certificates to individuals who meet the pilotage authority’s criteria for piloting vessels, or classes of vessels, in the pilotage region, or an area thereof.
Document Type: Certificates of Competency, Passports, Birth Certificates, Medical reports
Record Number: APA LIC 001
Suspension and Cancellation of licenses and pilotage certificates
Description: Information regarding hearings and decisions by the pilotage authority on the suspension or cancellation of licenses and pilotage certificates issued by the pilotage authority.
Document Type: Medical reports, Authority Investigation Summary
Record Number: APA LIC 002
Pilotage Services
Provision of pilotage services and authorizations by the Authority of the pilotage region.
Waiving the Requirement for Pilotage
Description: Documents related to the issuance of compulsory pilotage waivers authorizing a ship to navigate in a pilotage area without a licensed pilot at the helm.
Document Type: Written applications, policies, statistical information
Record Number: APA WAI 001
Provision of pilotage services – assigning licensed pilots to ships navigating in the pilotage area
Description: Records pertaining to the request for pilotage and the corresponding delivery of the service.
Document Type: Dispatching log records; Pilotage licences; Customer details
Record Number: APA PIL 001
Registry of Marine Pilots
- Bank number: APA PPU 010
Description: This bank describes information on physical characteristics, licences, certificates and marine incidents of pilots and apprentice pilots bound by contract with the Authority and are obtained under the Pilotage Act.
Class of Individuals: General public
Purpose: This bank retains a register of certificates and qualifications required under the Pilotage Act.
Consistent Uses: May be used to verify that pilots and apprentice pilots meet the requirements of the Pilotage Act as to their ability to carry out their duties. Retention and Disposal Standards: These records are retained in our office two (2) years from the date which the pilots or apprentice pilots cease to be employed and then are sent to the National Archives of Canada. These records are retained in the Authority’s head office for two (2) years from the date which the pilots or apprentice pilots cease to be employed and are then sent to secure offsite storage.
Related Record Number: APA OPD 005
TBS Registration: 20091699 Bank Number: APA PPU 010
Ship casualty reporting of marine incidents, in the pilotage area, involving a licensed pilot
Description: Records pertaining to a pilotage incident for which a ship in the compulsory pilotage area causes loss or damage to any other vessel or to property located in or adjacent to the waters in that area, whether or not loss or damage results to the ship.
Document Type: Authority Investigation Summary Document
Record Number: APA INC 001
Regulatory Affairs
Description: Documents related to pilotage service charge assessment and consultation of the charges applicable to each pilotage service offered by the pilotage authority. Charges are established or changed in accordance with section 33 of the Pilotage Act and subject to notice of objection to the Canadian Transportation Agency.
Document Type: Service Charge Announcements, CTA hearings, Consultation Meeting Documents (agendas, participant lists, handouts)
Record Number: APA TAR 001
Internal Services
Internal services constitute groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are management and oversight services, communications services, legal services, human resources management services, financial management services, information management services, information technology services, real property services, materiel services, acquisition services, and travel and other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.
Acquisition Services
Acquisition services involve activities undertaken to acquire a good or service to fulfill a properly completed request (including a complete and accurate definition of requirements and certification that funds are available) until entering into or amending a contract.
Communications Services
Communications services involve activities undertaken to ensure that Government of Canada communications are effectively managed, well-coordinated and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public. The communications management function ensures that the public—internal or external—receives government information, and that the views and concerns of the public are taken into account in the planning, management and evaluation of policies, programs, services and initiatives.
Financial Management Services
Financial management services involve activities undertaken to ensure the prudent use of public resources, including planning, budgeting, accounting, reporting, control and oversight, analysis, decision support and advice, and financial systems.
Human Resources Management Services
Human resources management services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction, allocating resources among services and processes, as well as activities relating to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies and plans.
- Awards (Pride and Recognition) Class of Record
- Classification of Positions Class of Record
- Compensation and Benefits Class of Record
- Employment Equity and Diversity Class of Record
- Hospitality Class of Record
- Human Resources Planning Class of Record
- Labour Relations Class of Record
- Occupational Health and Safety Class of Record
- Official Languages Class of Record
- Performance Management Reviews Class of Record
- Recruitment and Staffing Class of Record
- Applications for Employment Personal Information Bank
- Employee Personnel Record Personal Information Bank
- Personnel Security Screening Personal Information Bank
- Staffing Personal Information Bank
- Values and Ethics Codes for the Public Sector and Organizational Code(s) of Conduct Personal Information Bank
- Relocation Class of Record
- Training and Development Class of Record
Information Management Services
Information management services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective information management to support program and service delivery; foster informed decision making; facilitate accountability, transparency and collaboration; and preserve and ensure access to information and records for the benefit of present and future generations.
Information Technology Services
Information technology services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective use of information technology to support government priorities and program delivery, to increase productivity, and to enhance services to the public.
Legal Services
Legal services involve activities undertaken to enable government departments and agencies to pursue policy, program and service delivery priorities and objectives within a legally sound framework.
Management and Oversight Services
Management and oversight services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction and allocating resources among services and processes, as well as those activities related to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies or plans.
- Cooperation and Liaison Class of Record
- Executive Services Class of Record
- Internal Audit and Evaluation Class of Record
- Planning and Reporting Class of Record
Materiel Services
Materiel services involve activities undertaken to ensure that materiel can be managed by departments in a sustainable and financially responsible manner that supports the cost-effective and efficient delivery of government programs.
Real Property Services
Real property services involve activities undertaken to ensure that real property is managed in a sustainable and financially responsible manner, throughout its life cycle, to support the cost-effective and efficient delivery of government programs.
Travel and Other Administrative Services
Travel and other administrative services include Government of Canada travel services, as well as those other internal services that do not smoothly fit with any of the internal services categories.
- Administrative Services Class of Record
- Boards, Committees and Council Class of Record
- Business Continuity Planning Class of Record
- Security Class of Record
- Travel Class of Record
Legend
- Standard Classes of Records (CoRs)
- Standard Personal Information Banks (PIBs)
Classes of Personal Information
In the course of conducting the programs and activities of the Authority, categories of personal information may be accumulated which are not contained in the specific personal information banks previously described in this entry. Such personal information includes identification cards, staffing, training, grievances, official languages, disciplinary measures, occupational safety and health, parking and travelling expenses. This information is stored as part of the general subject files, the records of which are not normally retrievable by name of individual or other personal identifier. Specifics must be provided concerning the subject matter, related program activity, as well as the date on which the information was received by the Authority and to whom it was addressed.
The personal information in these subject files is retained for the same period of time as the related subject information and is disposed of according to the appropriate subject records schedules.
Manuals
- Dispatching Procedures
- Pilot Licence Register
- Pilotage Service Charge Announcements
- Service Contracts
- Working Rules
Additional Information
For general information about making a request for access to information or personal information, see Make an access to information or personal information request.
To make a request for information online, access the Access to Information and Personal Information Online Request Service.
To make a request for information under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act by mail, mail your letter or completed Access to Information Request Form (Access to Information Act) or Personal Information Request Form (Privacy Act), along with any necessary documents (such as consent or the $5 application fee for a request under the Access to Information Act), to the following address:
Chief Financial Officer
Atlantic Pilotage Authority
TD Centre, Suite 1801
1791 Barrington Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3K9
In accordance with the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, an area on the premises will be made available to review original materials on site if that is the applicant’s preference (and it is practical to do so), or if it is not practical to create copies of the material.
Please note: Each request made to the Atlantic Pilotage Authority under the Access to Information Act must be accompanied by an application fee of $5. For requests made online, this is paid at the time of application via credit card. For requests made by mail, this should be paid by enclosing cheque or money order made payable to the Atlantic Pilotage Authority.
The Government of Canada encourages the release of information through requests outside of the formal request processes. To make an informal request, contact:
Chief Financial Officer
Atlantic Pilotage Authority
TD Centre, Suite 1801
1791 Barrington Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3K9
Tel: 902-426-2550
www.atlanticpilotage.com
You may also wish to search summaries of completed access to information requests for which the Atlantic Pilotage Authority has already provided responses [link], as this information may be more easily obtained.
Reading Room
In accordance with the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, an area on the premises will be made available should the applicant wish to review materials on site. The address is:
TD Centre, Suite 1801
1791 Barrington Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3K9
Pilotage & Other Charges
The Pilotage Act requires that pilotage tariffs be fixed at a level that permits the Authority to operate on a self-sustaining financial basis, and that the tariffs set be fair and reasonable. The goal is to have each area become financially self-sufficient to eliminate cross-subsidization among ports.
Ordering a Pilot
To order a pilot, please contact the Atlantic Pilotage Authority Dispatch Centre at 1-877-272-3477 or e-mail [email protected].