Oct 22, 2024

By Mathew Channer

The Canadian Marine Retailers Association (CMRA) may still be in its first year of operations, but it’s wasting no time in representing its members on critical issues like proposed changes to legislation on PFDs.

Working closely with the NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association), the CMRA is working to raise awareness among Canadian boaters about Transport Canada’s proposed mandatory PFD legislation, which would enforce blanket use of PFDs on every size of vessel across Canada.

Citing a biased survey and a lack of organized data on the different vessel types and sizes involved in marine incidents, CMRA President and Boating Ontario CEO Rick Layzell has criticized Transport Canada’s approach to the issue of mandatory wear of PFDs.

“We are completely against the way that Transport Canada has published that survey. It almost forces a respondent to acknowledge and accept mandatory wear on the waterway, which is not what it was intended to be,” he said.

The CMRA is calling for a three-year national survey to gather accurate data on the size and types of vessels involved in safety incidents before PFD legislation for power-driven and sailing vessels is created.

The CMRA agrees with mandatory PFD use on human-powered vessels, personal watercraft, while being towed on water toys, and for children under 12.

“Canoes and kayaks are where people die,” Layzell said. “The problem is 14-footers and down. But there are those who want to put everything from a tinny to an 80-foot yacht all in one group.”

Through a new website, BoatingUnited.ca, the CMRA has distributed information on the Transport Canada survey to its 800+ members, along with a petition to the Government on its proposed national survey.

Layzell says that any solution the Government puts forward should be done in cooperation with Canada’s boating industry and Canadian boaters.

“We all have a role to play in reducing deaths on the water,” he said. “Together we have to find our way to address these problems. And that has to be done through fact-based data. Once you have data, then let’s make a decision.”

About CMRA:

As the voice of all aspects of retail in Canada’s recreational marine industry, CMRA members represent over 800 member companies across the country. CMRA was formed to create a cohesive and constructive national voice for advocacy issues on behalf of the recreational boating sector.