Apr 22, 2025

Especially for news outlets located in cottage country or where they have water access and boating, at this time of year, the media outlets are looking for valuable, seasonal editorial content. If you have a business in and around the marine industry, especially an on-the-water marina, there’s a great opportunity for free publicity. All you have to do is get ready with some answers and some content, then reach out to local media. The Canadian Safe Boating Council website, www.csbc.ca  has a wealth of information and content designed for you to pick up and share with your local media outlets.

With the season-opening 24th of May weekend coming right up, lots of media outlets will be looking for Local news stories to talk about the coming summer and Boating Safety is a politically great topic. Sharing this information is a public service and as a professional in the marine industry, you are probably very well qualified to be interviewed for a newspaper story, digital media or television. Here’s all you need to do.

Start with the Canadian Safe Boating Council website, www.csbc.ca.  Also, as we think about the coming summer boating season, it is well worth while to visit the Transport Canada website and to check the Vessel Operating Regulations, (VORR). There has been a lengthy consultation process that may result in some significant changes. The Transport Canada website acknowledges that there are several well-organized special interest groups that would like to advance their goals of local regulation and administration.

There is a daunting amount of information on the Transport Canada website but it’s important to realize that recreational boating is just a small part of the Transport Canada mandate that includes road and highway regulation, commercial shipping, aviation and more. The search function is actually pretty efficient.

As long as your business interests are covered under regulations managed by Transport Canada, it is only sensible that each of us spends some time learning about the existing and proposed regulations and how they may effect your business.

Plus, having an understanding of this will be helpful in any media contact you may have – whether that is something you initiated or something that you could be asked to answer unexpectedly.

Visit www.tc.canada.ca or directly to https://tc.canada.ca/en/search/site?key=VORR

Andy Adams – Editor