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Mark the Date: Safe Boating Awareness Week is May 17 – 23

photo credit: Salus   @jeremykoreski

Apr 24, 2025

The Canadian Safe Boating Council is an alliance of members committed to preventing boating injuries and drownings. Each year Safe Boating Awareness Week provides an opportunity for the CSBC to remind boaters what it takes to stay safe.

The boating season is not quite into full gear yet, with some areas of the country open and some soon to open. But before you head out to begin another glorious season on the water, please consider these five key messages:

Photo Credit: Mustang
  1. Wear Your Lifejacket – Over 80% of Canadians who drown while boating were not wearing their lifejacket or not wearing it properly. There are so many choices for lifejackets / personal floatation devices on the market now, it is easy to pick one that suits your ‘boating style’ and is one that you are comfortable wearing all the time you are on the water.
  2. Boat Sober – Whether it’s prescription drugs, alcohol or cannabis, the use of intoxicants is both irresponsible and illegal. In some provinces, being convicted of impaired operation will also affect your automobile license.
  3. Take a Boating Course – If you are operating a powered recreational vessel, you should have your Pleasure Craft Operator Card. But that is just as start, so consider taking some advanced courses.
  4. Be Prepared, You and Your Vessel– Make sure you and your boat are up to your planned on-water activities. That means you are knowledgeable about your upcoming trip, your boat is properly equipped with the required and good to have safety equipment, the weather is suitable for the voyage, you have sufficient fuel and you have filed a trip plan. Plus, this is not all about you…it is important to keep in mind that by staying out of trouble you will not be putting pressure on rescue resources.
  5. Be Cold Water Safe – Cold water can severely impact your ability to swim or even just stay afloat. Even the best swimmers will feel the effects of a sudden cold-water immersion. No matter your swimming ability, best chance of surviving an accidental cold-water immersion is to wear your lifejacket!
Photo Credit: Mustang  @doskophoto

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