CONFERENCE RECAPS
After more than a decade of advo- cacy, Transport Canada enabled all Canada Port Authorities, including the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, to designate Canada Marine Act enforce- ment officers who can issue contra- vention tickets and administrative monetary penalties (AMPs). “I first brought up this idea 11 years ago” she said. “Three years ago, we were enabled … to have enforcement officers that have the ability to write Federal con- travention tickets and administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) under the Canada Marine Act .” Contravention tickets function simi- larly to traffic citations, while AMPs can reach up to $25,000 for regulatory violations. This authority allows the port authority to address infractions — such as dangerous driving on port roadways or navigational violations — without requiring RCMP or CBSA officers to respond. Gill also designated members of the Vancouver Police Department Marine Unit as enforcement officers under the Canada Marine Act . “It’s another tool that they now have in their belt,” she said, noting that while the program remains a pilot, it has strengthened the capability for navigational safety enforcement in port waters. Responding to real-world disruptions Gill provided concrete examples of how port authority powers support safety, order, and trade continuity. In one case, protesters suspended themselves from a bridge, halting vessel traffic for 18 hours until police could safely conduct arrests. In another, the port quickly secured an injunc- tion under the Canada Marine Act to remove unauthorized occupants from federal trade lands. “We are in a strong legal position when our lands become occupied by any group that is not for trade enabling purpose,” she said.
She is advocating for amendments to the regulations to require measures that detect criminal activity within terminal footprints — not just prevent external intrusion. Without regulatory mandates, she noted, terminal oper- ators may be reluctant to incur costs or create labor tensions by reporting sus- picious internal behavior. Gill has taken this message to national forums, including the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security and the National Summit on Combating Auto Theft. She has also engaged with federal leaders on fentanyl trafficking and export crime trends. “I’m in a unique position with my former work as a peace officer in all three levels of government and now having extensive experience at the largest port in Canada”,” she told the audience. “I have been very open to contributing at the right table or reporting up to the right table, to sup- port our law enforcement partners in marine policing initiatives.” Throughout her remarks, Gill returned to the port’s core mandate: enabling Canada’s trade by being reli- able and innovative. Major initiatives such as the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project will increase Canada’s west coast container trade capacity by more than 30 percent, further underscoring the need for resilient security frameworks. In closing, she summarized her three-part approach to strengthen the continuum between port security and policing: foster and maintain collab- oration between port authorities and law enforcement, invest in police edu- cation and awareness, and advocate for regulatory modernization. Her message to the APP audi- ence was clear: modern port secur- ity requires creative thinking, strong collaboration, and the willingness to rethink outdated assumptions.
These incidents underscored the value of having clear statutory author- ity and close police partnerships. Training, information sharing, and relationships Perhaps the most significant gap Gill identified was knowledge of the port environment. To address this, the port authority developed a dedicated Port Law Enforcement Orientation Course in partnership with Silverstrait Solutions Inc. The program — restricted to law enforcement officers — provides in-depth education on port operations, intelligence capabil- ities, and legal authorities. The port authority also hosts port law enforcement stakeholder forums, harbour patrol tours, and operations center visits to familiarize officers with the port’s systems. With 700 cameras across its unleased lands and detailed access control records, the port authority can support investi- gations — but often requires formal production orders to share evidence in court. “How do you know something’s out of place if you don’t know what ‘in place’ looks like?” one officer asked during one of these forums — an insight that reinforced the need for immersion and port familiarity. Gill emphasized that relationship- building — sometimes over lunch — is foundational. “Being at the right table, reporting to the right table,” she said, is key to moving collaboration forward. Advocating for regulatory reform While proud of progress, Gill was candid about advocating for regulatory updates to the security regulations. Current security regulations, rooted in post-9/11 anti-terrorism meas- ures, emphasize perimeter protection. “More needs to be done to support our law enforcement partners in reporting suspicious criminal activity.”
46 — PACIFIC PORTS — March 2026
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