MANITOULIN—The comment period on proposed new personal floatation device regulations being proposed by Transport Canada ended on February 20.
“At the fall 2022 meeting of the Canadian Marine Advisory Council, Transport Canada indicated it would be seeking views on the criteria regarding the mandatory wear of PFDs and lifejackets on pleasure craft,” noted North Channel Marine Tourism Council (NCMTC) Chair Stan Ferguson when contacted recently by The Expositor about the proposed new regulations.
The memo from Transport Canada outlined several possibilities being considered by Transport Canada that were developed in consultation with the Canadian Safe Boating Council and partners in 2021, as well as through analysis of data on recreational boating-related incidents in Canada and feedback received to date from both stakeholders and the public.
The NCMTC position mirrors that of Boating Ontario, the boating industry’s association. “The Board of North Channel Marine Council which markets the boating region from Killarney in the east to City of Sault Ste Marie in the west, including Manitoulin Island, has reviewed the Transport Canada bulletin regarding the mandatory wearing of PFDs or lifejackets on pleasure craft and submitted the following responses: we are in favour of mandatory wearing for all person under the age of 14; we are in favour of mandatory wearing on all human powered vessels; and we are in favour of a three-year assessment survey that tracks the size and type of vessel involved in all incidents,” said Mr. Ferguson. “This data will assist in determining mandatory wearing for vessel length.”
The possible criteria for the mandatory wear of PFDs being put forward by Transport Canada include: age requirements, such as requiring the mandatory wearing of a PFD or lifejacket for any person aged 14 years or younger on board a pleasure craft; or require the mandatory wearing of a PFD or lifejacket for any person aged 18 years or younger on board a pleasure craft; vessel size requirements, such as requiring the mandatory wearing of a PFD or lifejacket for any person on board any pleasure craft six metres (19.685 feet) in length and below; or requiring the mandatory wearing of a PFD or lifejacket for any person on board any pleasure craft nine metres (29.527 feet) in length and below; vessel type requirements, such as requiring the mandatory wearing of a PFD or lifejacket for any person on board any motorized vessel (for example powerboats) or requiring the mandatory wearing of a PFD or lifejacket for any person on board any motorized vessel (again the example of powerboats) but also including human-powered vessels such as canoes or kayaks.
It is not clear at this time what the timeframe for new regulations might be.
