Small Vessel Regulations (SOR/2010-91)

Cancellation of the Licence

• 107 (1) An application for the cancellation of a pleasure craft licence may be made to the Minister by the owner of the pleasure craft.

• (2) An application for cancellation shall be made in any of the following circumstances:

  • (a) the owner of a pleasure craft has ceased operating the pleasure craft because it is no longer seaworthy; or

  • (b) the licence is a demonstration licence and the licence holder no longer sells pleasure craft in the course of a commercial enterprise or is using the pleasure craft for a purpose other than demonstration.

• (3) The Minister shall cancel a licence in any of the following circumstances:

  • (a) the owner or demonstration licence holder applies for cancellation under subsection (1) or (2);

  • (b) the Minister believes on reasonable grounds that the licence was issued on the basis of false or misleading information;

  • (c) the Minister believes on reasonable grounds that the licensing requirements are no longer met; or

  • (d) the licence was issued in error.

• (4) The Minister shall notify the owner or demonstration licence holder of the date on which the cancellation takes effect.

• (5) Before cancelling a licence under paragraph (3)(b) or (c), the Minister shall notify in writing the owner or demonstration licence holder

  • (a) of the reason for the proposed cancellation;

  • (b) of the date on which the cancellation takes effect; and

  • (c) that the owner or demonstration licence holder may make written representations to the Minister concerning the proposed cancellation within 30 days after the day on which they receive the Minister’s notice.

• (6) Before cancelling a licence under paragraph (3)(d), the Minister shall notify in writing the owner or demonstration licence holder

  • (a) of the reason for the proposed cancellation; and

  • (b) of the date on which the cancellation takes effect.

Voluntary Licensing

108 The owner of a pleasure craft that is not required to be licensed by these Regulations may obtain a licence for the pleasure craft.

109 [Repealed, SOR/2025-272, s. 4]

Misleading Marking

110 The owner of a pleasure craft shall not operate it or permit it to be operated if it is marked with a number that is not its licence number or its registration number issued under Part 2 of the Act and that number could be confused with a licence number or registration number.

Demonstration Licence

• 111 (1) A vendor who sells pleasure craft in the course of a commercial enterprise may apply to the Minister for a demonstration licence for use on any of the enterprise’s pleasure craft that are operated for the purpose of demonstration.

• (2) The holder of a demonstration licence shall ensure that it is used on only one pleasure craft at a time.

• (3) The demonstration licence shall not be transferred to anyone except another vendor.

Fees

• 112 (1) A fee of $24 is payable to the Minister at the time of an application for :

  • (a) the issuance of an initial licence;

  • (b) the issuance of a replacement licence referred to in section 206 of the Act;

  • (c) the renewal of a licence; or

  • (d) the transfer of a licence.

• (2) Despite subsection (1), no fee is payable for an application submitted by an owner of a pleasure craft who declares on their application that they are a person who can exercise a right that is recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 and that they will operate their pleasure craft for the purpose of exercising such a right.

Annual Adjustment

• 113 (1) In each fiscal year on April 1, the fee set out in subsection 112(1) is to be adjusted by the percentage change over 12 months in the April All-items Consumer Price Index for Canada, as published by Statistics Canada under the Statistics Act, for the previous fiscal year.

• (2) Despite subsection (1), the fee is not adjusted in a fiscal year if the percentage change for that fiscal year is less than 1%.

• (3) If the percentage change for a fiscal year is less than 1%, the percentage change is carried forward to the subsequent fiscal year. If the combined percentage change is less than 1%, the fee is not adjusted for that subsequent fiscal year and the combined percentage change is carried forward to the next subsequent fiscal year.

PART 2Safety Equipment for Pleasure Craft

Application

• 200 (1) Subject to subsection (2), this Part applies in respect of a pleasure craft that is operated in Canada.

• (2) This Part does not apply in respect of a pleasure craft 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.

Safety Obligation

201 The operator of a pleasure craft shall take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of the craft and of every person on board.

Personal Flotation Devices and Lifejackets

202 If a personal flotation device or lifejacket that must be carried on board a pleasure craft is to be worn by a person less than 16 years of age, it shall be inherently buoyant.

SUBPART 1Pleasure Craft Other than Human-Powered Pleasure Craft

Application

203 This subpart applies in respect of a pleasure craft other than a human-powered pleasure craft.

Life-Saving Appliances — Personal Life-Saving Appliances

204 A pleasure craft shall carry on board

• (a) a personal flotation device or 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 pleasure craft is not more than 0.5 m; and

• (c) for the length of pleasure craft set out in column 1 of the table to this section, 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 but less than 24 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
  5	24 m or more	(a) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 30 m in length; (b) two SOLAS lifebuoys, of which (i) one is attached to a buoyant line of not less than 30 m in length, and (ii) the other is equipped with a self-igniting light; and (c) a lifting harness with appropriate rigging

Life-Saving Appliances — Visual Signals

205 A pleasure craft 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.

Vessel Safety Equipment

206 A pleasure craft of a length set out in column 1 of the table to this section shall carry on board the vessel safety equipment set out in column 2.

Navigation Equipment

207 A pleasure craft of a length set out in column 1 of the table to this section shall carry on board the navigation equipment set out in column 2 as indicated in that column.

Firefighting Equipment

208 A pleasure craft of a length set out in column 1 of the table to this section shall carry on board the firefighting equipment set out in column 2 as indicated in that column.