Police remind boaters about rules and regulations ahead of long weekend
With the May long weekend finally here, the Ontario Provincial Police and boating safety advocates are reminding boaters to follow safety rules, especially with so many other boaters out there.
Safe Boating Awareness Week also begins Saturday, hammering home the safety message.
Jill Faulkner, commander of the North Bay Power and Sail Squadron, said preparation is key.
"They need to be sure themselves and their boat is prepared,” Faulkner said. “They need to be cold water safe and we encourage everyone to take a boating course."
Five people died in boat incidents in the region last year, while nine people perished the previous year.
"All of our fatalities didn't involve PFDs or life-jackets and many of them are linked to alcohol or drug use," said OPP Staff Sgt. Tyler Croxall.
Across the province, 27 people died on OPP patrolled lakes or rivers last year. In all, 13 deaths involved human-powered boats such as canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. In contrast, 32 people were killed in 2020.
Statistics show more than 80 per cent of Canadians who drown while boating were not wearing life-jackets or were wearing them improperly.
"As soon as you're immersed in water, it doesn't matter how warm it is, it is still cooler than your body temperature," Faulkner said.
"It doesn't take long before you lose the ability to swim any distance."
Boaters should have what’s called the ‘Pleasure Craft Operator Card’ or some other proof of competency.
Faulkner recommends going through a safety list before you leave: ensure you are knowledgeable about your upcoming trip; that the boat is properly equipped with the required safety equipment; the weather is suitable for the voyage; you have enough fuel; and, you have a trip plan.
Throughout Safe Boating Awareness Week, provincial police are warning boaters they will be on lakes and waterways ensuring people are following safety regulations while ensuring no one is impaired while operating a boat.
Police can conduct random boat stops to check sobriety and ensure boaters have proper safety equipment.
"The No. 1 cause of incidents is vessels capsizing," said OPP acting Insp. Ray St. Pierre. "Smaller vessels are capsizing and there's also collisions."
Nearly 40 per cent of people who died while boating last year were not operating the boat. Either they were passengers, swimmers or they were being towed behind the boat.
"We want everyone to be safe on our waterways," said St. Pierre.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.