Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020 (SOR/2020-216)
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Regulations are current to 2024-08-18 and last amended on 2023-12-20. Previous Versions
PART 3Limitations and Prohibitions (continued)
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.
Marginal note:Conflict
310 In the event of any inconsistency between this Division and the laws of the United States, the laws of the United States prevail to the extent of the inconsistency in respect of a Canadian vessel while it is in United States waters.
Marginal note:Continuous listening watch
311 Every vessel must maintain a continuous listening watch in accordance with Radio Aids to Marine Navigation published by the Canadian Coast Guard and make traffic reports to the Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre located in Sarnia, Ontario, under the circumstances set out in that publication.
Marginal note:Detroit River restrictions
312 (1) It is prohibited for a vessel in the Detroit River to
(a) proceed upbound in the West Outer Channel;
(b) proceed downbound in the Amherstburg Channel east of Bois Blanc Island;
(c) proceed upbound in the Livingstone Channel west of Bois Blanc Island; and
(d) overtake another vessel between Bar Point Pier Light “D33” and Fighting Island South Light if there is a risk that the vessel will meet a third vessel proceeding in the opposite direction while the overtaking is taking place.
Marginal note:Exception — paragraph (1)(b)
(2) Despite paragraph (1)(b), the Assistant Commissioner may authorize a vessel to proceed downbound in the Amherstburg Channel east of Bois Blanc Island if the safety of navigation is not compromised.
Marginal note:Overtaking prohibited
313 It is prohibited for a vessel to overtake another vessel
(a) in the St. Clair River between St. Clair Flats Canal Light “2” and Russell Island Light “33”, unless the vessel being overtaken is a towboat;
(b) in the Rouge River; and
(c) in the Detroit River between the west end of Belle Isle and Peche Island Light, unless the vessel being overtaken
(i) is a towboat; or
(ii) has checked down its speed to await berth availability or to make the turn for Rouge River and has so advised the Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre located in Sarnia, Ontario.
Marginal note:Area of one-way traffic
314 The waters between the St. Clair/Black River Junction Light and Lake Huron Cut Lighted Buoy “1” constitute an area of alternating one-way traffic where the following rules apply
(a) a vessel must not, in that area, overtake or meet another vessel or come about;
(b) a moored vessel must not get underway until it is able to proceed through those waters without passing or being passed by another vessel;
(c) a downbound vessel that has reached Lake Huron Cut Light “7” has the right-of-way over an upbound vessel that has not yet reached the St. Clair/Black River Junction Light; and
(d) an upbound vessel awaiting the transit of a downbound vessel must wait its turn below the St. Clair/Black River Junction Light.
Marginal note:Embark, disembark or exchange pilot
315 It is prohibited for a vessel to embark, disembark or exchange a pilot between the St. Clair/Black River Junction Light and Lake Huron Cut Lighted Buoy “1” unless, because of the weather, it is unsafe to carry out that activity at the normal pilotage ground above Lake Huron Cut Lighted Buoy “1”.
Marginal note:Navigation safety calls
316 Every vessel must, by using navigation safety calls, communicate its intentions to any other vessel in the vicinity and ensure that the movements of the vessels are coordinated and there is an agreement between the vessels before proceeding to overtake or meet the other vessel.
Marginal note:Anchorage rules
317 In the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, it is prohibited for a vessel to anchor in such a manner that it could swing into the channel or across steering courses.
Marginal note:Floating plant activities
318 A floating plant may be operated, anchored or moored for the purposes of engaging in dredging, construction or wrecking only if the person having conduct of the floating plant obtains an authorization from the Assistant Commissioner, the District Commander, the Captain of the Port or the Windsor harbour master having jurisdiction in waters in which the floating plant will operate, anchor or moor, on such terms and conditions as are necessary to ensure the safety of navigation.
Marginal note:Speed limits
319 Except when required for the safety of the vessel or any other vessel, a vessel that is 20 m or more in length must not proceed at a speed greater than
(a) 10.4 knots between
(i) Fort Gratiot and St. Clair Flats Canal Light “2”, and
(ii) Peche Island Light and Bar Point Pier Light “D33”;
(b) 3.5 knots in the Rouge River; and
(c) 5 knots in the navigable channel south of Peche Island.
Marginal note:Towboat
320 (1) It is prohibited for a towboat to drop or anchor its tows in such a manner that they could swing into a channel or across steering courses.
Marginal note:Prohibition against obstructing navigation
(2) It is prohibited for a towboat engaged in arranging its tow to obstruct the navigation of other vessels.
Marginal note:Temporary instructions
321 Despite anything in this Division, a vessel must comply with temporary instructions to proceed in a certain manner or by a certain route, to anchor in a certain place or not to proceed or anchor except as specified in lieu of or in addition to any provisions of this Division if because of channel obstructions, a casualty, the weather, ice conditions, water levels or other unforeseen or temporary circumstances, compliance with this Division would be impossible, impracticable or unsafe or would cause a risk of pollution, and the instructions are
(a) given by the Assistant Commissioner, in the case of Canadian waters, or the District Commander or the Captain of the Port, in the case of the waters of the United States; and
(b) published in Notices to Mariners or a navigational warning.
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PART 4Transitional Provision, Consequential Amendments, Repeals and Coming into Force
Transitional Provision
Marginal note:Application – subsection 118(1)
400 Subsection 118(1) does not apply until 180 days after the day on which this section comes into force, except in the case of the following vessels in respect of which that subsection applies beginning on the day on which this section comes into force:
(a) a passenger vessel of 150 gross tonnage or more that is engaged on an international voyage;
(b) a vessel of 300 gross tonnage or more, other than a fishing vessel, that is engaged on an international voyage; and
(c) a vessel of 500 gross tonnage or more, other than a fishing vessel, that is not engaged on an international voyage.
Consequential Amendments
Canada Shipping Act, 2001
Large Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations
401 [Amendments]
402 [Amendments]
Life Saving Equipment Regulations
403 [Amendments]
404 [Amendments]
405 [Amendments]
406 [Amendments]
Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations
407 [Amendments]
408 [Amendments]
409 [Amendments]
Steering Appliances and Equipment Regulations
410 [Amendments]
411 [Amendments]
Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations
412 [Amendments]
Marine Personnel Regulations
413 [Amendments]
414 [Amendments]
415 [Amendments]
416 [Amendments]
417 [Amendments]
Small Vessel Regulations
418 [Amendments]
419 [Amendments]
420 [Amendments]
Long-Range Identification and Tracking of Vessels Regulations
421 [Amendments]
422 [Amendments]
423 [Amendments]
424 [Amendments]
Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act
Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Installations Regulations
425 [Amendments]
Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act
Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Installations Regulations
426 [Amendments]
Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act
Canada Oil and Gas Installations Regulations
427 [Amendments]
Repeals
428 The following Regulations are repealed:
(a) the VHF Radiotelephone Practices and Procedures RegulationsFootnote 12;
Return to footnote 12SOR/81-364
(b) the St. Clair and Detroit River Navigation Safety RegulationsFootnote 13;
Return to footnote 13SOR/84-335
(c) the Anchorage RegulationsFootnote 14;
Return to footnote 14SOR/88-101
(d) the Burlington Canal RegulationsFootnote 15;
Return to footnote 15SOR/89-222
(e) the Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations, 1995Footnote 16;
Return to footnote 16SOR/95-149
(f) the Ship Station (Radio) Regulations, 1999Footnote 17;
Return to footnote 17SOR/2000-260
(g) the Ship Station (Radio) Technical Regulations, 1999Footnote 18;
Return to footnote 18SOR/2000-265
(h) the Navigation Safety RegulationsFootnote 19; and
Return to footnote 19SOR/2005-134
(i) the Voyage Data Recorder RegulationsFootnote 20.
Return to footnote 20SOR/2011-203
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