Modernizing the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program

Thank you for your feedback, your comments will be considered moving forward in the development of regulatory amendments. Please note that due to the significant amount of feedback received, the expected date for publication in Canada Gazette, Part I, has now been moved to Winter 2022. Read what was heard during the consultation here.

Everyone who operates a power-driven boat needs proof of competency — something that shows they understand the basic rules and how to safely operate a boat. The most common proof of competency is a Pleasure Craft Operator Card.

Transport Canada’s Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program develops and maintains the regulations, standards, policies and guidelines related to the competency requirements for recreational boaters.

The program monitors and supervises companies that offer accredited boating safety courses and tests to the public. This allows Canadians to get a Pleasure Craft Operator Card in a way that complies with the Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations. As part of this process, Transport Canada accredits course providers and gives them access to official, standardized test materials.

The pleasure craft regulations came into effect in 1999. The regulations need to be updated to strengthen our authority and ability to oversee and manage the program.

We want your input on the changes we’d like to make to our Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program.

Proposed Changes

We’d like to make changes to the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program, including:

• Strengthening course accreditation requirements
• Making course accreditation valid for five years
• Giving Transport Canada the power to suspend or cancel course accreditation if a course provider doesn’t follow the regulations and standards
• Giving Transport Canada the power to cancel a Pleasure Craft Operator Card
• No longer recognizing the Rental Boat Safety Checklist as a form of proof of competency

To learn more, read annex A of the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program Fee Proposal.

Introducing Fees

Until now, we’ve provided these services to boaters for free, and paid for with taxpayers’ dollars. By introducing fees, the program will be paid for by the people and accredited course providers that benefit from it.

We’d like to introduce:

• an accreditation application fee of $5,000, paid every five years
• a maintenance and test materials access fee of $8.50 for each Pleasure Craft Operator Card that’s issued
• We’d also like to set service standards for Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program services that explain the service levels that outside organizations and businesses can expect from us under normal circumstances.

To learn more, read the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program Fee Proposal.

We want to hear from you:

1. Read the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program Fee Proposal to learn more about the changes we’d like to make.
2. Choose “Register” at the top of the page, and join the discussion under the “Have Your Say” tab.
3. You can also submit your comments in a Word or PDF document through the “Submissions” tab. You can upload more than one document.