Jan 21, 2020

NMMA has announced that it is entering a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Transport Canada to ease the entry of NMMA Certified boats and yachts for sale into the Canadian marketplace. NMMA Certified boat manufacturers will soon be able to provide an NMMA certificate for their certified model alongside an abbreviated Declaration of Conformity (DoC), in lieu of the more comprehensive DoC required today. Additionally, Canada will now be accepting American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) standards as an alternative to parts of TP 1332, Construction Standards for Small Vessels. Click here for a quick video to learn more. 

“This is a tremendous recognition of NMMA certified boat builders and their dedication to product safety,” said Robert Newsome, NMMA senior vice president. “NMMA certified builders are able to thoroughly demonstrate their compliance to ABYC standards, and this will soon mean an easier path to sales opportunities in Canada.”

Currently, boat manufacturers who wish to sell product in the Canadian marketplace must ensure boats are built to TP 1332, alongside an extensive DoC process that includes a description of the model and information to demonstrate the model’s compliance with TP 1332. There is also a systematic review by Transport Canada before approval.

The MOU with Transport Canada will permit NMMA Certified boat models to enter Canada with the submission of an NMMA model certificate confirming NMMA certification and a simplified DoC. Additionally, boats entering through the new process will not be subject to Transport Canada’s systematic review and will only need minor additions from their compliance to ABYC standards, such as bilingual labels.

U.S. boat manufacturers will still be required to submit annual production reports to Canada.

“After working closely together for many years, we are very pleased to have reached this MOU with Transport Canada. The new process will provide a more harmonious transaction of boats and yachts across North America,” noted NMMA Canada president Sara Anghel.

Implementation of this new process is expected to begin in the spring of 2020. More information will be announced in the coming months as NMMA and Transport Canada work together to solidify the program.