Transport Canada Announcement

Under the Contraventions Act, enforcement authorities can ticket offenders on the spot instead of requiring them to appear in court.  In June 2004, the Government of Canada and British Columbia signed an agreement to implement the Conraventions Act in British Columbia.  The agreement came into force in the spring of 2006.

In six Canadian provinces where the Contraventions Act has been implemented, there has been a substantial improvement overall in the level of compliance and consequently, boating safety.

Fines* for some boating offences:

- Operating a vessel in a careless manner:  $250

- Speeding:  $100

- Underage operation of a personal watercraft:    $100

- Operating a power-driven pleasure vessel without the required operator competency card:   $250

- Insufficient number of approved, appropriately sized flotation devices:   $200 or more

* Not including administrative charges.  For a complete list of boating-related offences under the Contraventions Act and their associated fines, visit www.boatingsafety.gc.ca or call 1-800-267-6687.