Should there be changes made to current regulations on the mandatory wear of PFDs/lifejackets.
The following info has been extracted from TCs web site.
To help answer this question Transport Canada (TC) has launched a public consultation and survey on potential options for the mandatory wearing of personal flotation devices (PFDs) and lifejackets on recreational vessels.
This consultation is available on Transport Canada’s Let’s Talk Transportation online platform. The public is invited to review the background information outlining TC’s ongoing work to explore this issue and complete the survey to provide feedback on which options you feel would be most effective for reducing fatalities among recreational boaters, as well as your views on mandatory wear in general.
Your opinion and feedback are important! The consultation will remain open until November 4, 2024.
Background from info from Transport Canada
Canada averages 111 recreational boating deaths each year. Not using a personal flotation device (PFD) or lifejacket is a leading cause of death among recreational boaters, accounting for 89% of all fatalities.
TC began to re-examine the mandatory use of PFDs/lifejackets for people on board recreational vessels in 2018. Several research projects were launched, to collect data to better understand boater perspectives on PFD/lifejacket use.
Results from these projects showed that:
47.8% of online survey respondents reported they always wear a PFD or lifejacket while boating
34% of boaters recorded during on-site observations were wearing a PFD or lifejacket:
minors (under the age of 18) were nearly twice as likely than adults to wear a PFD/lifejacket (67% for youth vs. 29% for adults)
children 6 to 12 were most likely to wear a PFD/lifejacket (75%)
women were slightly more likely to wear a PFD/lifejacket than men (38% vs. 31%)
"wear rates” (the number of people on a vessel wearing a PFD/lifejacket) varied widely across vessel types but were higher on-board smaller vessels compared to larger vessels
results for human powered vessels ranged widely, with high wear rates for kayakers (78%), but much lower rates for canoers (41%)
guests on board recreational vessels were much more likely (46 times) to wear a PFD/lifejacket when the operator was wearing one
Alongside these research projects, the Drowning Prevention Research Centre Canada produced a report in 2021 that tracked recreational boating-related deaths in Canada from 2008 to 2017.
Key takeaways from this report found that:
most people who died due to a recreational boating-related incident weren’t wearing a PFD or lifejacket
most of the people who died were adults
most recreational boating-related deaths involved powerboats, followed by canoes
the most common incident that led to a death was a capsized vessel, followed by a person falling or being thrown overboard
Proposed criteria
TC analyzed these research projects to develop criteria to consider when developing options for mandatory wear requirements of PFDs/lifejackets in certain circumstances when boating recreationally.
These proposed criteria are based on three categories:
age requirements
vessel length
vessel type
TC’s main goal of any approach would be to reduce deaths among boaters at greatest risk. Final options may be included in regulatory updates to the Small Vessel Regulations.
Any potential requirements would only apply while a vessel is moving, so as not to impact other activities like anchoring the boat and swimming.
TC wants to hear from you the stakeholders and the Canadian public. Your opinion and feedback are important.
How to participate
Please read the Mandatory Wear of Personal Flotation Devices/Lifejackets: Enhanced Canadian Data(External link) backgrounder document linked on this page, for more information on the work by Transport Canada and safety partners to examine the issue of PFD/lifejacket usage among recreational boaters.
Participate in the survey(External link) to share your thoughts on which criteria regarding the mandatory use of PDF/Lifejackets would be most effective in reducing fatalities.
To contribute you will need to "register" on the Let's Talk page at the top or sign in.
Participate in this discussion forum through the “Have your say” tab. The forum will be open until November 4, 2024.
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