Small Vessel Regulations (SOR/2010-91)

Exceptions for Certain Vessels

Racing Canoes and Racing Kayaks

• 312 (1) A racing canoe or racing kayak that is engaged in formal training, in an official competition or in final preparation for an official competition that is governed by safety guidelines and procedures established by the governing body is not required to carry on board the safety equipment required by this Part if it is attended by a safety craft that is carrying on board a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size

  • (a) for each person on board the canoe or kayak, if the safety craft is attending only one pleasure craft; or

  • (b) for each person on board the canoe or kayak with the most persons on board, if the safety craft is attending more than one pleasure craft.

• (2) However, if the racing canoe or racing kayak is not attended by a safety craft, it is required to carry on board only the following safety equipment:

  • (a) a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size for each person on board;

  • (b) a sound-signalling device; and

  • (c) a watertight flashlight if the canoe or kayak is operated after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility.

Rowing Shells

• 313 (1) A rowing shell that is competing in a provincially, nationally or internationally sanctioned regatta or competition, or engaged in training at the venue at which the regatta or competition is taking place, is not required to carry on board the safety equipment required by this Part.

• (2) A rowing shell that is engaged in activities governed by safety guidelines and procedures established by the governing body is not required to carry on board the safety equipment required by this Part if it is attended by a safety craft that is carrying on board a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size

  • (a) for each person on board the rowing shell, if the safety craft is attending only one rowing shell; or

  • (b) for each person on board the rowing shell with the most persons on board, if the safety craft is attending more than one rowing shell.

• (3) However, if the rowing shell is not attended by a safety craft, it is required to carry on board only the following safety equipment:

  • (a) a personal flotation device or lifejacket of an appropriate size for each person on board;

  • (b) a sound-signalling device; and

  • (c) a watertight flashlight, if the canoe or kayak is operated after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility.

Other Racing Vessels

314 A human-powered racing vessel, other than a canoe, kayak or rowing shell, that is engaged in formal training, in an official competition or in final preparation for an official competition, and that is operated under conditions of clear visibility and is attended by a safety craft, may carry on board the safety equipment that is required by the rules of the governing body instead of the safety equipment required under this Part.

PART 4Passenger-Carrying Vessels of Not More than 15 Gross Tonnage that Carry Not More than 12 Passengers

Application

• 400 (1) This Part applies in respect of a passenger-carrying vessel of not more than 15 gross tonnage that carries not more than 12 passengers and is not a human-powered vessel.

• (2) Paragraph 404(3)(b) and sections 405 to 420 do not apply in respect of a passenger-carrying vessel that meets the safety equipment requirements of another country and that is

  • (a) registered in that country as having the right to fly the flag of that country; or

  • (b) licensed in that country and not principally maintained and operated in Canada.

General Requirements

• 401 (1) The operator of a passenger-carrying vessel shall, before the vessel leaves a place where passengers embark, ensure that all passengers are briefed in either or both official languages, according to their needs, on the safety and emergency procedures relevant to the type of vessel and its length, including

  • (a) the location of lifejackets and specifically the location of lifejackets for children;

  • (b) the location of survival craft;

  • (c) for passengers in each area of the vessel, the location of the lifejackets and survival craft that are closest to them;

  • (d) the location and use of personal life-saving appliances, visual signals and vessel safety equipment;

  • (e) the safety measures to be taken, including those relating to the protection of limbs, the avoidance of ropes and docking lines, and the effect of the movement and grouping of passengers on the stability of the vessel; and

  • (f) the prevention of fire and explosions.

• (2) During the briefing, the operator of the vessel shall ensure that a demonstration is provided on the manner of donning each type of lifejacket.

• 402 (1) The operator of a passenger-carrying vessel shall, before departure, report the number of persons on board to a person on shore who has been designated by the operator to be responsible for communicating with search and rescue authorities in case of an emergency.

• (2) If the passenger-carrying vessel is operated in a remote area and it is not possible to report the number of persons on board to a person on shore, the operator of the vessel shall leave the information respecting each voyage in a location on shore that is known and readily available to search and rescue authorities.

• (3) If the passenger-carrying vessel is operated from a support vessel, or if it is used to transfer persons from another vessel to shore, the operator of the passenger-carrying vessel may designate a person on board the support vessel or the other vessel to be responsible for communicating with search and rescue authorities in case of an emergency.

403 If the water temperature is less than 15°C, a person who operates or permits another person to operate a passenger-carrying vessel that does not carry on board a life raft shall ensure that equipment is carried on board the vessel or that procedures are established to protect all persons on board from the effects of hypothermia or cold shock resulting from swamping, capsizing or falling overboard.

• 404 (1) A passenger-carrying vessel shall be designed and equipped to operate safely in its area of operation.

• (2) No person shall operate a passenger-carrying vessel under circumstances that exceed its design limitations, if any.

• (3) Except in an emergency, the operator of a passenger-carrying vessel engaged in towing shall ensure that

  • (a) there are no passengers on board the vessel or the tow; and

  • (b) the vessel meets the requirements of section 521.

405 The owner of a passenger-carrying vessel shall not operate or permit another person to operate the vessel unless, before it is first put in service, the owner has informed the Minister, in a form determined by the Minister, of

• (a) the intention to operate the vessel or permit its operation;

• (b) the physical characteristics of the vessel; and

• (c) the nature of its operation.

406 The owner of a passenger-carrying vessel shall submit to the Minister, on request, information respecting the physical characteristics of the vessel and the nature of its operation.

Safety Equipment

First Aid Kit

407 A passenger-carrying vessel shall carry on board a first aid kit.

Life-Saving Appliances

Personal Life-Saving Appliances

408 If a lifejacket that must be carried on board a passenger-carrying vessel is to be worn by a person less than 16 years of age, it shall be inherently buoyant.

• 409 (1) A passenger-carrying vessel shall carry on board

  • (a) a lifejacket of an appropriate size for each person on board;

  • (b) a reboarding device, unless the vertical height that must be climbed in order to reboard the vessel is not more than 0.5 m; and

  • (c) for the length of vessel set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection, the additional personal life-saving appliances set out in column 2.

    	Column 1	Column 2
    Item	Length	Additional Personal Life-Saving Appliances
    1	not more than 6 m	a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length
    2	more than 6 m but not more than 9 m	(a) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length; or (b) a lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line of not less than 15 m in length
    3	more than 9 m but not more than 12 m	(a) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length; and (b) a lifebuoy attached to a buoyant line of not less than 15 m in length
    4	more than 12 m	(a) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length; and (b) a lifebuoy that is equipped with a self-igniting light or attached to a buoyant line of not less than 15 m in length

• (2) The buoyant heaving line set out in the table to subsection (1) shall be fitted at one end with a buoyant mass that will assist in carrying out the end of the line when the line is thrown.

Visual Signals

410 A passenger-carrying vessel of a length set out in column 1 of the table to this section shall carry on board the visual signals set out in column 2.

Life Rafts

• 411 (1) For the purposes of subsection (2), “river” does not include

  • (a) any waters seaward of a line drawn between the extremities of the shore at the river’s mouth at high tide; or

  • (b) the St. Lawrence River east of 70°53′ west longitude.

• (2) A passenger-carrying vessel shall carry on board one or more life rafts with a total capacity sufficient to carry all persons on board, unless the vessel is

  • (a) not more than 8.5 m in length;

  • (b) engaged on a sheltered waters voyage; or

  • (c) at a distance of not more than two nautical miles from the shore of a river or lake, that distance being measured either from the mainland or from an island that can be used as a safe refuge from the weather.

• (3) A passenger-carrying vessel that engages in voyages beyond the limits of a near coastal voyage, Class 2 shall not carry on board a coastal life raft unless it carried such a life raft on board before the day on which these Regulations came into force.

• (4) For the purposes of subsections (2) and (3), near coastal voyage, Class 2 and sheltered waters voyage have the same meaning as in section 1 of the Vessel Safety Certificates Regulations.

Vessel Safety Equipment

• 412 (1) A passenger-carrying vessel of a length set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection shall carry on board the vessel safety equipment set out in column 2.

  	Column 1	Column 2
  Item	Length	Vessel Safety Equipment
  1	not more than 9 m	(a) either (i) a manual propelling device, or (ii) an anchor, and not less than 15 m of cable, rope or chain or any combination of them; and (b) a bailer or manual bilge pump
  2	more than 9 m but not more than 12 m	(a) an anchor, and not less than 30 m of cable, rope or chain or any combination of them; and (b) a manual bilge pump
  3	more than 12 m	(a) an anchor, and not less than 50 m of cable, rope or chain or any combination of them; and (b) a manual bilge pump

• (2) A bailer or manual bilge pump is not required to be carried on board a passenger-carrying vessel that cannot retain a sufficient quantity of water to make it capsize or whose compartments are sealed and are not readily accessible.

Navigation Equipment

• 413 (1) A passenger-carrying vessel of a length set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection shall carry on board the navigation equipment set out in column 2 as indicated in that column.

  	Column 1	Column 2
  Item	Length	Navigation Equipment
  1	not more than 9 m	(a) a sound-signalling appliance that meets the requirements of the Collision Regulations, or a sound-signalling device; (b) if the vessel is operated after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility, navigation lights that meet the requirements of the Collision Regulations; and (c) a magnetic compass that meets the requirements of the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020
  2	more than 9 m but not more than 12 m	(a) a sound-signalling appliance that meets the requirements of the Collision Regulations, or a sound-signalling device; (b) navigation lights that meet the requirements of the Collision Regulations; and (c) a magnetic compass that meets the requirements of the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020
  3	more than 12 m	(a) a sound-signalling appliance that meets the requirements of the Collision Regulations; (b) navigation lights that meet the requirements of the Collision Regulations; and (c) a magnetic compass that meets the requirements of the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020

• (2) A magnetic compass is not required to be carried on board a passenger-carrying vessel that is not more than 8 m in length and that navigates within sight of seamarks.