{"id":73,"date":"2015-02-12T00:51:11","date_gmt":"2015-02-12T05:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/?post_type=article&#038;p=73"},"modified":"2020-05-06T19:47:13","modified_gmt":"2020-05-06T19:47:13","slug":"canadian-boating-laws","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/article\/canadian-boating-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Canadian Boating Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Looking to go boating in Canada? It\u2019s your responsibility to stay up-to-date on the laws and requirements that are required when operating a boat. These regulations change from time to time, but don\u2019t worry; we\u2019re here to help! Here\u2019s the up to date information about what you need to know before heading out on the water.<\/p>\n<p>The main Canadian boating laws that boaters\u00a0must follow are contained in the\u00a0<em>Canada Shipping Act<\/em><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><em>2001<\/em>\u00a0and in the\u00a0<em>Criminal Code of Canada<\/em><em>.<\/em>\u00a0 Let\u2019s take a closer look:<\/p>\n<h2>Canada Shipping Act 2001<\/h2>\n<p>The\u00a0Canada Shipping Act, 2001\u00a0establishes a framework of rules and regulations and is the\u00a0\u2018umbrella\u2019 act under which all boating regulations are developed in Canada. It incorporates international and federal laws and regulates all boats operating on Canada\u2019s waterways.<\/p>\n<p><em>The\u00a0Small Vessel Regulations<\/em>\u00a0are part of the\u00a0<em>Canada Shipping Act, 2001<\/em>\u00a0and outline the minimum mandatory safety equipment that must be aboard your boat.\u00a0<em>The Small Vessel Regulations<\/em>\u00a0also outlines safety precautions, maintenance procedures to follow before and while boating, boat registration and licensing as well as construction standards for building a boat.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct200102Hero.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-108 size-large\" data-original=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct200102Hero-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Canada Shipping Act 2001\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-original-set=\"https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct200102Hero-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct200102Hero-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct200102Hero.jpg 1333w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Criminal Code of Canada<\/h2>\n<p>The second part of the equation when it comes to understanding boating laws and regulations in Canada is the\u00a0<em>Criminal Code of Canada<\/em>. This\u00a0enables law enforcement authorities to charge boat operators for criminal offences. Here\u2019s what you need to know from the\u00a0<em>Criminal Code of Canada<\/em>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Requires a pleasure craft operator to stop and assist another boat when he\/she is in distress, as long as it does not place themselves, their boat or their passengers in a dangerous position<\/li>\n<li>Requires that a person other than the operator (a spotter) keep watch of any person being towed (like a water-skier)<\/li>\n<li>Prohibits the towing of water-skiers from one hour after sunset to sunrise<\/li>\n<li>Prohibits vessels from being operated in a manner that is dangerous to the public<\/li>\n<li>Prohibits false emergency signals or messages<\/li>\n<li>Prohibits operators from interfering with marine signals and navigation aids<\/li>\n<li>Prohibits the operation of a boat that is in \u2018unseaworthy\u2019 (poor or unsafe) condition<\/li>\n<li>Prohibits the operation of a boat while <a href=\"http:\/\/boating-and-alcohol-laws-in-canada\" data-wplink-url-error=\"true\">under the influence of drugs, alcohol<\/a> or controlled substances<\/li>\n<li>Prohibits the operation of a boat while disqualified or prohibited from boat operation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct20013.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-109 size-large\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct20013-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Pleasure Craft Operator\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct20013-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct20013-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.boatsmartexam.com\/knowledge-base\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/02\/CanadaShippingAct20013.jpg 1333w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Abiding By Canada\u2019s Boating Regulations<\/h2>\n<p>Canada\u2019s marine acts, regulations and code are law and apply to\u00a0all boat operators in Canada whether you\u2019re a resident or visiting the country. You may face fines, penalties or imprisonment if you violate these laws. Keep in mind that while travelling abroad you are required to obey the laws of that host country, be sure to look these up before you leave Canada.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to enforcing these boating laws, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), provincial and municipal police forces and other local authorities are in charge.\u00a0Law enforcement officers may inspect your boat and monitor your activities at any time to ensure that you are in compliance with the above boating laws.<\/p>\n<p>To abide by the rules and regulations of boating in Canada, take the BOATsmart!\u00ae online boating safety course and <a href=\"\/en\/secure\/users\/boaterRegistration.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">get certified<\/a> for your <a title=\"What You Need When Boating in Canada\" href=\"\/article\/boating-competency-requirements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pleasure Craft Operator Card<\/a>, more commonly known as a <a href=\"https:\/\/boatsmartexam.com\/ca\/\">boating license<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","article-category":[7],"article-tag":[84,90,91,102,167,178,212],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v14.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Canadian Boating Laws<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Canadian boating laws and how to they effect you. 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