Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020 (SOR/2020-216)

Marginal note:Navigation safety call

• 253 (1) Every vessel that is required under section 204 to have a VHF radio installation and that is a vessel described in column 1 of Schedule 4, other than a dredge or floating plant, must make a navigation safety call on the appropriate VHF channel set out in column 3 for that vessel, under the following circumstances:

  • (a) a risk of collision with another vessel exists under the provisions of the Collision Regulations that apply in the area being navigated by the vessel;

  • (b) the navigation safety call of another vessel indicates that a close-quarters situation may develop;

  • (c) the vessel is in a narrow channel or fairway and is about to overtake another vessel, or be overtaken by another vessel;

  • (d) doubt exists as to the actions or the intentions of another vessel;

  • (e) the vessel is nearing a bend in a river, channel or fairway or an obstruction around which an approaching vessel cannot adequately be seen;

  • (f) the vessel is approaching, in restricted visibility, a charted route, including a ferry route, or a concentration of vessels;

  • (g) the vessel will commence a manoeuvre that could impede the safe navigation of other vessels;

  • (h) the vessel is engaged in fishing with nets, lines, trawls, trolling lines or other apparatus, or is a vessel restricted in its ability to manoeuvre in or near a routing system and is being approached by another vessel, other than a vessel engaged in fishing;

  • (i) the vessel is approaching a dredge or floating plant in or near a river, channel or fairway;

  • (j) the vessel will depart from a berth, anchorage, mooring area, booming ground, dredge or floating plant; and

  • (k) under any other circumstance when a navigation safety call is necessary for the safe navigation of the vessel or any other vessel.

• Marginal note:Call — paragraph (1)(j)

  (2) The navigation safety call required under the circumstances specified in paragraph (1)(j) must be made 15 minutes before and again immediately before departure from the berth, anchorage, mooring area, booming ground, dredge or floating plant.

• Marginal note:Content of call

  (3) The navigation safety call must not exceed one minute in duration and must contain only information that is essential for safe navigation, including the following, in sequence:

  • (a) the identity of the vessel;

  • (b) the location of the vessel;

  • (c) the intended course of action;

  • (d) the present course and speed of the vessel; and

  • (e) whether the vessel is

    • (i) engaged in a towing operation,

    • (ii) not under command,

    • (iii) restricted in its ability to manoeuvre,

    • (iv) engaged in fishing, other than trolling,

    • (v) severely restricted in its ability to deviate from the course it is following because of its draft in relation to the available depth of water,

    • (vi) engaged in pilotage duty,

    • (vii) at anchor, or

    • (viii) aground.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (4) A vessel is not required to make a navigation safety call in the circumstances described in paragraph (1)(i) or (j) if the vessel

  • (a) is a towboat and is manoeuvring in or around any berth, anchorage, mooring area, booming ground, dredge or floating plant and the vessel

    • (i) manoeuvres in such a manner that it will not impede the safe navigation of other vessels, and

    • (ii) makes a navigation safety call 15 minutes before its final departure from that berth, anchorage, mooring area, booming ground, dredge or floating plant; or

  • (b) is reporting to a traffic centre.

• Marginal note:Call power — Great Lakes Basin

  (5) The transmission power of a navigation safety call on Channel 13 within the Great Lakes Basin must not exceed 1 W except in the following cases when that power must not exceed 25 W:

  • (a) in the case of an emergency;

  • (b) the vessel being called to does not respond to a second call at a transmission power of 1 W or less; or

  • (c) a broadcast in blind situations such as when the vessel is rounding a bend in a channel.

• Marginal note:Definition of vessel restricted in its ability to manoeuvre

  (6) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (3), vessel restricted in its ability to manoeuvre has the meaning assigned by the definition vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre in Rule 3(g) of Schedule 1 to the Collision Regulations.

Marginal note:Dredges and floating plants

• 254 (1) Every dredge or floating plant that is required under section 204 to have a VHF radio installation and that is a vessel described in column 1 of Schedule 4 must make a navigation safety call on the appropriate VHF channel set out in column 3 for that vessel under the following circumstances:

  • (a) when approached by another vessel not engaged in an operation related to the dredge or floating plant;

  • (b) when requested to do so by another vessel; and

  • (c) under any other circumstance in which it is necessary for the safety of the dredge or floating plant or the safe navigation of any other vessel.

• Marginal note:Content of call

  (2) A navigation safety call referred to in subsection (1) must not exceed one minute in duration and must contain only information that is essential for safe navigation, including the following, in sequence:

  • (a) the identity of the dredge or floating plant;

  • (b) its location; and

  • (c) in the case of a dredge or floating plant that is on a river, channel or fairway, to the extent possible, whether any part of the river, channel or fairway is obstructed and, if so, the side on which the obstruction exists and the side on which another vessel may pass.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (3) A dredge or floating plant is not required to make a navigation safety call in the circumstances described in paragraph (1)(a) if it is reporting to a traffic centre.

[255 to 299 reserved]

PART 3Limitations and Prohibitions

General

Marginal note:Definitions

300 The following definitions apply in this Part.

Assistant Commissioner

Assistant Commissioner means the Assistant Commissioner for the Central and Arctic Region, Department of Fisheries and Oceans. (commissaire adjoint)

Burlington Canal

Burlington Canal means the canal that links Lake Ontario and Hamilton Harbour. (canal de Burlington)

Captain of the Port

Captain of the Port means the Captain of the Port for the United States Coast Guard at Detroit, Michigan. (capitaine de port)

District Commander

District Commander means the commander of the 9th District of the United States Coast Guard. (commandant du district)

DIVISION 1Anchorage

Marginal note:Prohibited waters

301 It is prohibited for a vessel to anchor within the waters described in Schedule 5.

Marginal note:Instructions and directions

302 Every vessel within the waters described in Schedule 5 must comply with any instruction or direction relating to any navigation limitation or prohibition or other shipping measure contained in Notices to Mariners or a navigational warning.

DIVISION 2Burlington Canal

Marginal note:Speed limit

303 It is prohibited for a vessel to navigate in the Burlington Canal at a speed greater than

• (a) seven knots, if the vessel is 80 m or less in length; or

• (b) the lowest speed at which the vessel can be navigated safely, if the vessel is more than 80 m in length.

Marginal note:Passing prohibited

• 304 (1) A vessel heading towards the Burlington Canal must not, if it is within 0.5 nautical miles of the canal, pass another vessel going in the same direction.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of vessels that are less than 15 m in length.

Marginal note:Request to lift the bridge

305 If the person who has the conduct of a vessel requires the lift bridge over the Burlington Canal to be raised, the person must make a request to the bridgemaster by radio communication or, if such communication is not possible, the person must sound three long blasts on the whistle or horn.

Marginal note:Entry of vessel 15 m or more

• 306 (1) Subject to subsection (2), it is prohibited for a vessel that is 15 m or more in length to enter the Burlington Canal unless the signal light on the lift bridge shows green in the direction of the vessel.

• Marginal note:Exception in case of emergency

  (2) In the case of an emergency, a vessel that is 15 m or more in length may enter the Burlington Canal while the signal light on the lift bridge does not show green in its direction, but it must moor at the north wall of the canal and must not proceed until the signal light shows green in its direction.

Marginal note:Entry of vessel less than 15 m

307 It is prohibited for a vessel that is less than 15 m in length to enter the Burlington Canal while the lift bridge is not raised or while a flashing blue light is not shown in its direction, unless it waits at the side of the canal to its starboard at a distance of 90 m or more from the lift bridge until the bridge is raised or a flashing blue light is shown in its direction.

Marginal note:Prohibition — under sail

308 It is prohibited for a vessel to navigate under sail in the Burlington Canal.

DIVISION 3St. Clair River and Detroit River

Marginal note:Application

• 309 (1) This Division, other than section 314, applies in respect of

  • (a) all vessels in Canadian waters between Lake Erie and Lake Huron; and

  • (b) all Canadian vessels in the waters of the United States between buoy “1” of the East Outer and West Outer Channels at the Lake Erie entrance to the Detroit River and Lake Huron Cut Lighted Buoy “11” and including the Rouge River and Short Cut Canal from Detroit Edison Cell Light “1” to the head of navigation.

• Marginal note:Exception — section 311

  (2) Section 311 does not apply in respect of a vessel referred to in subsection (1) unless the vessel is required under Part 2 to be fitted with a VHF radio installation or VHF radio telephone.

• Marginal note:Exception — sections 312 and 313

  (3) Sections 312 and 313 do not apply in respect of a vessel referred to in subsection (1) that is

  • (a) a vessel engaged in icebreaking, search and rescue or servicing aids to navigation that is

    • (i) a government vessel,

    • (ii) owned by and in the service of the government of the United States, or

    • (iii) in the exclusive possession of the government of the United States; or

  • (b) a vessel engaged in river or harbour improvements, if it is operated in a safe and prudent manner and other vessels have been warned of those operations.

• Marginal note:Application — section 314

  (4) Section 314 applies in respect of a vessel referred to in subsection (1) that is

  • (a) a power-driven vessel that is 55 m or more in length;

  • (b) a vessel that is 20 m or more in length propelled only by sails;

  • (c) a towboat; or

  • (d) a floating plant.