Governing Canadian Arctic Shipping through Low-impact Shipping Corridors

Abstract

The concept of low-impact shipping corridors was developed by the Government of Canada in the early 2000s to support core maritime shipping routes throughout Arctic Canada, where marine traffic can be encouraged to travel and where infrastructure and service investments can be prioritized. Given the region’s vast geographic scope, historically minimal amount of shipping activity, and relative remoteness, a targeted approach to investing in navigational supports and services through the corridors approach, versus the use of formal routing measures, was identified as ideal. Low-impact shipping corridors have garnered substantial traction over the past decade and are regularly viewed as a promising governing framework that can adaptively support growing Arctic shipping. Although the concept is relatively new and additional considerations are still needed as climate change and reductions in sea ice continue to facilitate increases in Arctic shipping activities across Canada, the corridors framework is well positioned to underpin effective governance and management measures for shipping sector growth. In this chapter, we discuss how shipping activities have evolved both temporally and spatially in Arctic Canada, outline how the corridors were established, including through identification and consideration of culturally significant marine areas, identify strengths and weaknesses of the corridors concept, and provide a critical discussion of how low-impact shipping corridors support self-determined and sustainable oceans governance.