Infographic: Oil and Marine Protection Don’t Mix

In the 1970s, Canada introduced a moratorium on offshore oil and gas activity to protect marine ecosystems on the Pacific coast, and in 2016 a similar moratorium was introduced to protect Arctic waters. However, on the Atlantic coast, the ocean does not have consistent protection from oil and gas development and its impacts. In some cases, oil and gas activity is even permitted within the boundaries of marine protected areas (MPAs).

This map shows the inconsistent regulation of oil and gas activities across Canada’s coasts and marine protected areas, illustrating the need for strong marine protection standards that prohibit harmful industrial activity in all MPAs.