2025-Oct-31
Highlights from the Canadian Safe Boating Council's 2025 Symposium
In September, our Boating Safety & Emergencies Committee attended the Canadian Safe Boating Council’s 2025 symposium, “Solutions Through Partnerships: Charting a Course for Marine Safety” in Kingston. The event brought together experts and stakeholders to discuss marine safety, search and rescue, and regulatory updates.
The symposium delivered valuable insights from an impressive range of experts, covering topics such as Search & Rescue operations by JRCC Trenton, challenges facing law enforcement on Ontario waterways, and updates from the Coast Guard, Navy, and Canadian Rangers. The event also provided a valuable networking opportunity, bringing together our BS&E partners and other stakeholders to share knowledge and discuss ways to enhance waterway safety.
Upcoming Developments:
- Pleasure Craft Licensing modernization expected to become law in November
- Transport Canada’s What We Heard report on mandatory PFD wear is expected in December
- Decibel regulations proposal is expected to be introduced in Canada Gazette 1 in Q2 2026
- Illegal boat chartering and rentals are becoming a concerning issue for Transport Canada
- JRCC Trenton and the Canadian Coast Guard are now using a new rescue communication platform, Connect Rocket, which aims to take the “search” out of search & rescue
- Progress on relaxing luxury tax on vessels
GBA will continue to monitor these developments and share updates over the next few months.
You can find the presentations from the 2025 symposium here.
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