By Jill Snider

July 15, 2025

Monday, July 7, I attended a boating industry event hosted by Boating Ontario. The “Meet the Board Mixer” was the first of its kind in many years. Revived by the association as a way for local members to connect in a relaxed environment, I walked away feeling inspired by many great conversations with fellow industry members. These once per year events are planned alongside the associations’ annual in-person board meetings and members local to the area where the board meeting is hosted, are invited. If you are Boating Ontario member, you can expect an invite to a future Mixer in your area.

Most of the industry members who attended the event are marina operators in the Simcoe County area of Ontario. Our friends from the boat insurance sector, boat brokers/dealers, our token boat hauler and Adam Chambers, our local MP, all dropped in to say hello. I love to connect with these lovely people because my career background is in marina management and I can easily relate to the business values that we as an industry have developed through that common ground.

Conversations flowed and ranged from industry challenges to how we and our families are doing personally. The inspiration came afterwards on reflection of these conversations. I think that so many of the discussions are relatable if you are in this business. Can you, as a recreational boating industry member anywhere in Canada relate and benefit from my list of takeaways as outlined below? I would love to know! Send me a note to jillsnider@kerrwil.com.

1. As small to medium business operators in the boating industry, our responsibilities can range from selling slips and boats to employer questions typically handled by Human Resources in a larger company. That is the nature of seasonal business of this size. One conversation that I had with a marina operator discussed exactly that. In one moment, he is creating a job posting to address the growing demand of his services and in the next moment, he is picking up the pump-out hose to help support his Dock Staff at a busy fuel-dock on a Saturday morning. The diverse role requirements of our entire industry keep us on our toes. There are resources from your provincial government available to help with employer questions and services. A quick Google search using keyword “Ontario government employer resources” brought me to the Ontario Employer resources pages including contact information. I have utilized this service many times and always come away with a solution to my inquiry. Each province has their own Employer Resources which you can Google search and easily locate. As for pump-out training, your Dock Staff will love to give you a lesson!

• Many industry leaders’ work values are “Old-School” and gritty. Our mindset for the longest time has been that we need to work around the clock while it is boating season. I have noticed a shift in that mentality, and it is a good one. I think that this comes from our Millennial cohort influence. If we are open to it, we can learn from them as much as they can learn from the Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers. Many Millennials are demanding balance. They want to enjoy life while also working. In one conversation, a marina operator friend and I discussed that the summer student hiring pool is requesting their 2 days off a week and a week of summer holidays too.  While this often means that employers need to hire another employee to cover their schedules, staff are happier and that happy employee is likely to be retained for years to come because you can offer them the balance and lifestyle that they crave.

• Further to the conversation that evolved from the points outlined in #2 came the discussion of our own personal summer holidays as leaders in our companies. In my time as a marina manager, working 6 or 7 days a week, 12 hours a day was normal, and summer holidays were unheard of. Holidays were to be taken when the thermometer was below zero degrees Celsius. I had several conversations at the Mixer about summer holiday plans. Many industry members have started taking time off to get their own boating holiday in. Spending time with their loved ones and taking a much needed physical and mental break are being prioritized. While many are still putting in long days to meet the demands of the job, two days a week off is becoming the norm. The result – a happier, more energetic and enthusiastic leader. If you are someone still grinding away, not taking days off or holidays during the summer, maybe it’s time to look after yourself. Is working around the clock really benefiting you, your customers or anyone else in your business or personal circle?

• The boating industry will always have its challenges, and we have always survived. Let’s call them Reoccurring Challenges and the Ever-Changing Challenges. The unique Reoccurring Challenges like seasonal business, staffing, water-levels, water-lot leases to name a few, are really second nature to us now. This is where our grit is built from. Surviving these challenges year over year is what makes us different. We don’t even bat an eye at these things. Imagine signing up for an industry that only operates full-time for 6 months out of 12 and making it work! That alone is impressive. Give yourself a pat on the back.

The Ever-Changing Challenges are those that come and go. Top of mind is Luxury Tax. This is one of the biggest challenges that has tested us as an industry and though we haven’t crushed it yet, the outlook is positive. There is a solution, and our association leaders are working with government officials. Stay positive and continue to voice your concerns. With the work of our local MP’s and boating associations, I remain positive that the Luxury Tax will go-away. Those I spoke to at the Mixer agreed too.

Current and past Ever-Changing Challenges include too much boat inventory, not enough boat inventory, rising interest rates, uncertain economy, bad weather, fuel prices, where to send your waste and the rising costs of that service. The list is long and we have overcome it all. Just remember that – we-have-overcome-it-all. As an industry, we will continue to overcome whatever comes our way.

• The event was hosted at Maple Leaf Marinas (MLM) and I was fortunate to have a tour of Wye Heritage Marina while there. We were shown the exteriors of the new 3-season cottage development that MLM has erected. It was an impressive “out-of-the-box” revenue generator within the marina property. In the ever-changing industry that we are in, have you considered how you are setting your business apart? What unique service offering can you become the local provider of? If you search, the opportunities are there. Boat upgrades are very popular right now. Have you considered partnering with a bow thruster or wake interceptor OEM to become their local installer? As a boat dealer, maybe you could attract buyers by offering free boat handling clinics on weekends to gain trust in the client who may be a bit timid about this purchase. New growth to generate new business and help to compensate are so important. What’s your niche?

• While I was in that room, I couldn’t help but notice the camaraderie amongst our industry. Most of the attendees are friendly competitors and what typically brings us together are the associations that work for us plus the common ground we have. I have been an association member for over 20 years throughout my career. The membership fee is usually minimal compared to the return on investment. If you are not a member of your provincial and national boating industry associations, consider reaching out to yours for details. This may come across as a shameless affiliated promotion, but the reality is, the membership is worth it, and I believe everyone in that room agreed. As a national publisher in boating, I am currently a member of 5 provincial/national boating associations.

Though I only scratched the surface, that summarizes my key takeaways. Did any of this get you thinking? Don’t forget to send me a note if you can relate. Contact me at jillsnider@kerrwil.com