Have Your Say By Jan. 15 – Proposed Changes to Pleasure Craft Licensing Program

Just Ask John

Jan 14, 2021

Transport Canada announces proposed changes to the Pleasure Craft Licensing (PCL) Program and the Lets Talk Transportation consultation web site which will remain open for comments until January 15, 2021.

I often get asked questions about Pleasure Craft Licensing and how to go about the process which at present is free. In my comments I have regularly remarked that, in the near future, the 10 year renewal period will probably be reduced to 5 years and that there will be a cost to both license a vessel, change information and renew that license.

Well, that “in the near future” time has come and Transport Canada is seeking stakeholder input and comments to be submitted through their Lets Talk Transportation website. 

Consideration of your comments sent through this site will be given during the development of the regulatory amendments. For that consideration you must let your voice be heard.

For pleasure craft owners here are the changes being considered by Transport Canada’s Office of Boating Safety for the PCL. They are doing this to increase safety, environmental protection and improve service delivery:

• Bringing grandfathered pleasure craft licenses (with no expiry date) into a 5 year validity time frame.

• Reducing the 10 year validity period for PCLs to 5 years to ensure that ownership information is updated more often.

• Expanding the Small Vessel Regulations to include all pleasure craft with motors of 10 hp. (7.5 kilowatts) or more, including personal watercraft, which are principally maintained or operated in Canada and, all pleasure craft, including all power-driven and sail-alone vessels over 6 metres in length, with the exception of human powered vessels (e.g. kayak, canoe).

• Reducing the timeframe for vessel owners to report a name or address change from 90 days to 30 days and specifying 30 days for the buyer to notify a sale or transfer of a vessel ensuring that updated information is available in the same boating season.

• Providing Transport Canada the authority to cancel a PCL if the license holder does not comply with the regulatory requirements.

• Introducing a service fee of $15 for PCLs thereby reducing the cost borne by taxpayers for providing this service.

Again, the time is now for your voice to be heard. Go to https://letstalktransportation.ca/pcl to comment.

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