Canadian Navigable Waters Act

Marginal note:Abandoned vessel

20 When any vessel or other thing is wrecked, sunk, partially sunk, lying ashore or grounded in any navigable water in Canada, the vessel and its cargo and every part thereof or other thing shall be deemed to be abandoned at the expiration of two years after the date of the casualty and, thereupon, the Minister may, under such restrictions as seem fit to the Minister, authorize any person to take possession of and remove the vessel or other thing for that person’s own benefit, on giving to the owner, if known, one month’s notice and, if the owner is unknown, public notice for a similar period in a local paper published nearest to the place of the vessel or other thing.