Advertisement
"Unfortunately, we still have had, thus far, a couple fatalities on our waterways that we patrol," OPP Const. Phil Young told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in a Zoom interview.
Consuming alcohol on a boat
Young said there are some circumstances where people can legally consume alcohol on a boat.
"We're not out there to ruin somebody's weekend or their day and cause them, you know, a hard time regarding this," he said.
"We get it, when you get back to shore, when you get back to your dock and you sit at your dock and you're not going anywhere and you're going to sit on your vessel and have a beer or a drink, so be it."
Three things need to happen to drink on a vessel:
- The boat must be tied up to a dock or shore or anchored somewhere
- Boat has a pump-out head for the black/wastewater
- Permanent cooking facilities
"What we are seeing more now are pontoon boats where the retailer has told them, 'well, all you need is a port-a-potty screwed onto the back of the boat or onto the front of the boat and a barbecue, or hibachi,'" Young said.
"So that doesn't fly. That's not the intention of the rules and the guidelines, according to Transport Canada."
Human waste must be disposed of properly and not just thrown into the water.
Cooking facilities need a stove, oven or microwave to be considered a permanent cooking facility.
While it may be okay to enjoy an alcoholic beverage after a day of boating, Young stresses public water safety.
"Please don't go out on that boat again after you've been consuming alcohol and or drugs too," he said.
Report impaired drivers
"If you suspect someone is driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs. It is important to call 911 to report it," OPP said.
Young said not a lot of people want to get involved when they see a suspected impaired driver, but to think of the risk of not reporting it.
"They see that happen and they think … 'I'll let somebody else call or it's not a big deal, I'm just going to go home, mind my own business," he said.
"But think of that as one of your loved ones out on the water or one of your children out fishing or out kayaking, or your grandparents, or you're somebody out on the water, enjoying the waterway."
Top Story
- Residents in Sudbury asking for speed cameras in their neighbourhoods 1
- North Bay hospital dealing with bed crisis, expect long waits in the emergency dept. 1
- Power restored to Capreol after morning outage
- Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets misprint on 'Wicked' dolls packaging that links to porn site
- Suspect charged with assaulting three workers at a business in the Sault
- Northern Ontario teen recovering in hospital after being attacked; ex-boyfriend charged with attempted murder 3
- Ontario provides $13M for junior mining exploration companies 1
- 'Justice for Kaylie': Dozens of supporters show up to northern Ont. man's court hearing 3
- Police say Sault suspect lit garbage can in living room of shared residence 1
- Union representing postal workers in Sudbury hope for a deal before strike deadline 2
- Driver in ditch near Chapleau, Ont., charged with impaired
- Canada cancels automatic 10-year multiple-entry visas, tightens rules
- Alien-like signal from 2023 has been decoded. The next step is to figure out what it means
- North Bay board game makers release 'Tripped' that features northern Ont. locations 1
Stories from around the region
North Bay
- Northern Ont. marks Remembrance Day
- Timmins band will attempt to unseat Sudbury group with new world record in underground mine
- Police confirm attempted murder case in Cobalt, Ont., was intimate partner violence
- Northern Ont. mayors call for help with homelessness, addictions and immigration