Mar 14, 2022
CCEOC Inc., and Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest are pleased to announce that the team at Oak Bay Marine Group has achieved Award status in the Boating Industry Canada Employer of Choice (BICEOC) Awards.
Oak Bay Marine Group is the largest marine group in British Columbia according to CEO Brook Castelsky and is probably one of Canada’s largest as well. Recruitment and retention of top employees is vital to the organization’s success and the Boating Industry Canada Employer of Choice program has become an important management tool.
Listen carefully to what Oak Bay Marine Group CEO Brook Castelsky says about the program in his award acceptance video.
The Boating Industry Canada Employer of Choice is a national award program that recognizes and promotes the best employers in the Canadian recreational boating industry. Oak Bay Marine Group is one of five winners that have now been announced in News Week Digest.
Companies that take part in the program must submit a Company Profile and complete the Employee Commitment survey. A combined score determines if an organization has achieved the award. There are two categories:
· Dealers & Marinas
· Marine Business: Manufacturers, Suppliers, Service Providers, Retailers and Distributors
“I’m very excited for the companies that have achieved award levels in the Boating Industry Canada Employer of Choice program this year,” said Jeff Doran, president of CCEOC Inc. “With the added pressure of managing through the pandemic, these companies have continued to show resiliency and demonstrate how important their people are to the success of the business. They have worked hard to create world class cultures and preferred employer brands. The Oak Bay Marine Group has worked hard to win the award and we are impressed with their commitment to being at Award levels again in the coming year. ”
“We congratulate Oak Bay Marine group on their success and their commitment to the Boating Industry Canada Employer of Choice program. Boating Industry Canada enthusiastically supports the Employer of Choice program as a means for employers to both attract and retain the quality of people our industry needs to meet and exceed our customer’s expectations,” stated Andy Adams, Managing Editor of Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest.
Watch the award presentation to Brook Castelsky at:
Recreational craft and invasive species – how to manage biofouling to stop the spread

New Biofouling Management for Recreational Boating Report is published
Killer shrimps, sea squirts and the spiny water flea are all examples of invasive alien species that have been introduced to new areas in various parts of the world by recreational craft such as boats, yachts and other small craft.
Invasive alien species are known to be one of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss, and their management especially in marine environments is incredibly challenging. Therefore, the most cost effective away of addressing their impacts is to prevent their spread to new areas.
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On January 4, 2023, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) launched Veer, an all-new boat brand designed to support electric propulsion and appeal to the next generation of boaters, and also debuted the first model in the Veer line-up; the X13.
“Recreational boating and fishing are enjoying increasing popularity with younger and more diverse consumers,” said Matt Atilano, Veer Director of Strategy. “We identified a gap in the marketplace and a need to create a more targeted and modern experience for these new boaters, which inspired the design and development of the Veer brand.”
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Garmin has announced their new ECHOMAP™ UHD2 series chartplotters that offer anglers premium features like Ultra High-Definition sonar, preloaded Garmin Navionics+™ mapping with an included one-year subscription to daily map updates, wireless networking for data sharing and support for Garmin’s award-winning LiveScope™ live-scanning sonar.
Available with a 6”, 7” or 9” bright, sunlight-readable touchscreen display with keyed assist, anglers can easily control and operate the functions they depend on for a successful day on the water, including zooming in or out on the map or quickly toggling between different sonar views.
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C-Tow Marine Assistance appoints Jill Noel to Manager of Operations

C-Tow Marine Assistance Ltd., which has been serving and assisting recreational boaters across Canadian waterways for more than 35 years, has announced the appointment of Jill Noel to Manager of Operations, effective January 2, 2023.
In her new role, with an overall goal of building the C-Tow brand across Ontario and throughout Canada, Jill will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations including digital marketing and social media initiatives, company representation at national and local industry events, managing the C-Tow captains, and liaising with marinas, yacht clubs, and marine associations.
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