Dec 17, 2024

Driving home last night I couldn’t help but notice the Christmas lights. I’ve lived in this little community for almost 25-years now and I don’t recall a year with more decorated homes and more elaborate lights. Lights that flash or sparkle, things that move and lots of colour! Not just solid white or 1950’s multi-colour, but bright displays like dazzling icicles and other enticing designs. I keep reading how this is a tough year for a lot of people. Interest rates are still hurtful, groceries are expensive, yet I feel like the Christmas spirit is more on display this year than any year in recent memory.

My thought is that the lights and decorations this year are a way to express a positive outlook in the face of threats from the U.S. to inflict painful tarrifs, to show our fellow Canadians that we are proud and strong.

The boat sales business is struggling with new non-current inventory and other hurdles for business to overcome but I’m feeling like Canadians will hold our heads up and that we will carry on. I think that we will still spend time up north in the summer and we will still want to go boating – maybe more than ever.

We are blessed to live in such a beautiful country. We know that and we will make plans to again get away this coming summer to enjoy our wonderful home.

If you look at the top right corner of this email, you will see that this edition of Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest is the 51^st in 2024. Also, this is volume 18 – in other words our 51^st edition in our 18^th year of publishing News Week.

Some of our advertisers have been with us all the way; CC Marine Distributors, Kropf Industrial, Western Marine and Transat, Hutchings Marine Products and others – we can’t thank you enough for your support over the years and to you, our readers who are rock-steady every week, reading the stories and occasionally, sending in your thoughts or ideas. Your input helps us to stay focused.

This is the last News Week for 2024 because next Tuesday is Christmas Eve and we hope you have special plans with family and friends.

News Week will return on January 7^th and we will start our 19^th year with enthusiasm.

For those readers who can make it to the Toronto International Boat Show, we hope you will drop by our Canadian Boating magazine / Boating Industry Canada / Ports Cruising Guide booth. We would love to see you in person and we hope you register for the Industry Breakfast on Tuesday January 21^st. Hope to see you there!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Andy Adams – Editor