It could get a little more expensive to go boating next year as Transport Canada seeks input on new proposals for licensing of pleasure craft, including a new processing fee.
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November 27, 2020 - 2:35 PM
Transport Canada wants to hear what you think about proposed changes to the licensing of pleasure craft that include a new $15 fee.
The department said it is amending the Small Vessel Regulations to improve data quality and improve the way services are delivered to pleasure craft license holders.
One of the proposed changes is a new $15 fee to process pleasure craft licensing applications, whether for renewal, transfer or to duplicate a license. Currently, there are no service fees paid for the issuing of more than 100,000 pleasure craft licenses each year by Transport Canada.
A number of other changes to pleasure craft licensing are being proposed by Transport Canada including the expansion of the types of watercraft subject to the small vessel regulations.
The government agency is looking at all pleasure craft equipped with motors of 10 horsepower or more, and personal watercraft are included in this category. As well, all pleasure craft with power-driven and sail-along vessels above six metres in length are being considered. Human-powered kayaks, canoes and boats would be exempt.
Transport Canada is also considering a reduction in the timeframe for owners to notify the government about a name or address change from 90 days to 30 days, and specify 30 days for a buyer to let the government know about a sale or transfer of a vessel.
Transport Canada would also like to see grandfathered pleasure craft licenses with no expiry date brought into a five-year validity period, and a reduction of the ten-year validity period for licenses to five years.
The public consultation period takes place from Nov. 12, 2020 to Jan. 15, 2021.
You can go to the letstalktransportation.ca website if you want to participate.
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