Advertisement
Northern Ontario
"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
- Sudbury resident scammed out of $20K, suspect from southern Ont. charged 1
- Police seize $1M in drugs in northwestern Ont. bust
- Canadians carrying more debt and missing more payments: reports 1
- Hwy. 17 reopens following fatal collision near Bruce Mines
- Sudbury man charged with drug, weapons offences in North Bay
- Sudbury driver arrested for impaired twice in 8 hours
- Suspect in attempted murder in Cobalt, Ont., makes court appearance 3
- Paul Bernardo denied parole after victims' families plead he be kept behind bars 3
- Ontario woman buys van with odometer rolled back almost 100,000 kilometres 1
- Committee OKs rezoning of former Sudbury hospital site 4
- Ford says Trump's proposed 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods like 'a family member stabbing you right in the heart' 34
- Sault road reopens after building safely demolished
- Sudbury, Ont., magic mushroom store sells illegal product as a form of protest 1
- Sault police issue alert about surge in grandparent scams 1
Stories from around the region
Sault Ste. Marie
- Sault suspect charged with punching rideshare driver in the face twice
- Drug bust after a suspect pointed handgun at victim at northern Ont. gas station
- Elliot Lake, Ont., woman charged with choking neighbour's dog
- Hockey rivalry goes to the next level on both sides of the Sault border