The role and objectives of the Authority are to establish, operate, maintain and administer, in the interest of safety, efficient and economical comprehensive marine pilotage and related services within its geographical boundaries, subject to the approval by Order-in-Council, pursuant to the Pilotage Act. This includes the establishment of compulsory pilotage areas, the ships or classes of ships subject to compulsory pilotage, the classes of pilot licenses and classes of pilotage certificates that may be issued, and the tariffs of pilotage charges to be paid to the Authority for pilotage services.
The Authorities geographical boundaries include all waters in the Province of Quebec south of the northern entrance to the St. Lambert Lock and all Canadian waters in and around the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba. Pilotage in the international waters within its boundaries are shared with United States of America Pilot Associations, which are under the direction of the United States Coast Guard, as agreed under a memorandum of agreements between Canada and the United States.
Under the Pilotage Act, the Authority prescribes tariffs of pilotage charges fixed at a level that permits the Authority to operate on a self-sustaining financial basis that are to be fair and reasonable.