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 8 Million Canadians Are Now Boating Illegally
on September 15th, 2009
Canadian boaters had until midnight September 14th, 2009 to obtain a Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
More than 8 Million Canadians missed the deadline and are now subject to a $250.00 fine. Enforcement agencies across Canada including Provincial Police, Conservation Officers and the RCMP will begin enforcing the federally mandated law..
Boaters need to remember that Sept. 15,09 is the deadline in Canada for all recreational operators of any motorized watercraft to have a “Pleasure Craft Operator Card” or they risk expensive fines no less than $250 if caught boating without one. The 36-question, multiple-choice exam requires a 75 percent mark to receive a passing grade. Boaters can print a temporary card as soon as they pass online, and their permanent card is mailed to their home in a few weeks. The card is good for life.
Boaters caught without the card will face a $250.00 fine. The operator card, which is commonly referred to as a boater license, can be obtained Online. Contrary to recent beliefs, boaters who didn't get certified by the deadline are still able to complete their exam online.
Phased in over the past 10 years, the federal government originally introduced the law to establish a minimum level of competency amongst Canadian boaters. All operators of powered boats including personal watercraft, small fishing boats, cruisers and motorized sailing craft must obtain a Pleasure Craft Operator Card - there are no exemptions for age or size of boat to have your boater license in Ontario or any other province in Canada.
What we are also seeing is many of the boaters who obtained their boating license years ago have lost the operator card and need to seek replacements however..... there is no comprehensive database kept by the ministry. If you do not know or can't remember who issued the card to you, (it could be any one of dozens of private companies the ministy has contracted to) you are basically out of luck and need to retake the test.
I would advice anyone seeking a replacement card or writing the exam for the first time to seek out a company that will be around after the ministry changes the rules. Every course provider needs to be re-certified so go with one of the larger companies who have been doing this for a while and not someone working out of the basement of their home part time offer the Boating License Ontario.
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