2009: According to Canadian government statistics, as many as nine million Canadians participate in recreational boating each year. About 200 of these will die in accidents on the water, with another 6,000 suffering non-fatal injuries.
Not having a life jacket will cost you $250 (each) if you’re stopped by a police marine patrol. Having one, but not wearing it, could cost you your life. Even though it's not mandatory for most boats, PUT IT ON!
Every year, bbout 180 Canadians will drown while boating, and 400 will die in all water-related accidents. Statistics show that nearly 90 per cent of those who die won’t be wearing a life-jacket - the most common risk factor for recreational boating drownings. Only 11% of drowning victims were wearing personal flotatation devices (PFDs).
Men are the primary drowning victims. Between 1991 and 2000, toddlers and males aged 15 to 24 had the highest drowning rates, followed by males over 24, according to the Red Cross. During that period, there was a 24% drop in the rate of boating drownings and a 29% decline in near-drownings.
An article in the National Research Council journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism describes research by the Canadian Red Cross showing that 60 per cent of those who survived cold-water emersions swam for shore or other dry sanctuary. Only 30 per cent of survivors stayed with their craft.
The researchers claim that people wearing a lifejacket can swim in water temperatures of 10-23 degrees Celsius for 800 to 1,000 metres, or about 45 minutes, before their arms and legs stopped working from hypothermia. Also, staying calm the first few minutes helps thinking and breathing - and survival. The old advice of "stay with the boat" may not help you survive, unless you get rescued quickly. Read more at: Toronto Star, Jun27/07
Trying to put on a life-jacket after falling from a boat is like trying to put on a seatbelt while an auto accident is happening. (Shelley Dalke, Canadian Red Cross)
The Canadian Discover Boating program has released an Economic Impact Study of Recreational Boating in Canada 2006. Canada's recreational boating had a $26.8 billion impact on Canada's economy in 2006 - in jobs, sales, travel, repairs, taxes, tourism revenues and consumer spending. Canadian boaters spent C$15.6 billion on boat and engine sales, accessories and other boating expenses in 2006. The report also indicates 373,606 jobs and 10% of Canada's tourist dollars come from recreational boating. (Study by: Genesis Public Opinion Research Inc. with Smith/Gunther Associates)
[Canadian Boating Index - Marine Industry: Discover Boating, National Marine Manufacturers Association, International Boat Industry] Originally posted in Boating in Canada News Jan/2008
There are an average of 36 boating deaths in Ontario every year - 31% of these involve alcohol. The Canadian Medical Association says that alcohol is detected in two-thirds of boating-related drownings who are tested, and many are well above the legal limit for driving a boat.
The Canadian Red Cross says 500 Canadians drown each year. Children are vulnerable because they do not appreciate the danger. A study by Canadian Institute for Health Information [Canadian Boating Index] shows:
Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death of Canadian children up to 14 years of age, according to "Safe Kids Canada" [Canadian Boating Index: Organizations], an injury prevention program of the Hospital for Sick Children (2007). About 58 Canadian kids drown each year; 140 are hospitalized from near-drowning. Backyard pool drownings happened mostly in Quebec (47%) and Ontario (37%).
| Year | Inicidents | Deaths | Liquor Offences | Boats Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 56 | |||
| 2000 | 38 | 44 | ||
| 2001 | 40 | 938 | ||
| 2002 | 40 | 1,175 | 37,161 | |
| 2003 | 22 | 27 | 1,167 | 49,961 |
| 2004 | (23) | (29) |
2003: 23 incidents to August involved: 14 outboards, 1 sailboat, 7 canoes and 1 kayak. Ontario Police checked 49,961 boats to ensure operators were licenced, the vessel had proper safety equipment, and operators were not impaired.
Boating deaths in Canada have been decreasing. During 2000 (the most recent year for which national data are available), there were 147 boating fatalities - a new low. During 1996-2000, 888 people died in boating incidents, down by 17 per cent from the previous five years (1991-1995).
Half of Canadian boating deaths occur on lakes (53 per cent). Oceans (23 per cent) and rivers/streams (22 per cent) account for the balance.
By region, one-quarter (28 per cent) of Canadian boating fatalities occurred in Ontario during 1996-2000; 21 per cent in British Columbia; 18 per cent in Quebec; 17 per cent in Atlantic Canada; 13 per cent in the Prairie provinces; and 3 per cent in the northern territories.
Powerboats are the most prevalent pleasure craft and account for more than half of all Canadian boating deaths. Small open powerboats under 5½ metres (18 feet) in length are more often involved than larger powerboats. Canoes are the second-most involved craft. The absolute number of personal watercraft fatalities is low. However the water-related death rate for PWCs, at 11 deaths a year per 100,000 boats, is higher than for powerboats at six deaths a year per 100,000 boats, and higher than unpowered craft (e.g. canoes, sailboats and rowboats) at 2 to 5 deaths a year per 100,000 boats.
From 1996 to 2000 in Canada, 85% of those who died boating were not wearing personal-flotation devices, and alcohol was involved in 38% of fatalities.
Source: The Lifesaving Society, national boating fatalities report
Although there are no Canadian statistics about safety training and boating fatalities, a U.S. Coast Guard investigation found that 47% of all boating deaths occurred on vessels where the operator had not taken a boat safety course.
Fast Facts:
Boating accounts for 1/3 of water-related deaths in Canada. 33% of victims were powerboating, 27% were sport fishing and 13% were canoeing. More than 90% of boating victims are male and 50% are 18 to 34 years old.
In 1999, there were about 250 boat manufacturers employing 6,000 people. Annual shipments were $925 million and $100 million for equipment. $580.6 million of the total was exported. (Canadian Dollars)
Canadians own two million recreational boats including 637,350 canoes, 148,500 sailboats, 349,650 rowboats, 823,200 outboards and 120,000 other boats of all sorts. Estimated expenditures on recreational boating in Canada, including storage, fuel, marina and club rental, membership fees, boats and accessories total $2.0 billion or 1.8 percent of total estimated world expenditures of $40.5 billion USD. [Government Directory: Industry Canada: Recreational Boat Industry]
Canadian exports of motorboats (cabin cruisers, outboard and inboard/outboard boats) were valued at $187,75 million in 1998, making up 33 percent of the total boating exports. Aluminum outboard boats sold especially well because of new designs and innovative deck layouts.
Sailboat exports reached $16.5 million in 1998. Personal watercraft by Sea-Doo by Bombardier make up 55% of Canadian boating shipments and 61% of boating exports. Nearly 275 manufacturers exported $50 million worth of marine equipment and accessories, such as life jackets, electronics and hardware.
[Canadian Boating Index: Industry Canada: Recreational Boat Industry]
In 1997, the industry consisted of approximately 235 boat manufacturers and employed about 6,000 people. Annual shipments were $997.2 million for boats and $100 million for marine equipment and accessories. Of the total, $714.1 million was made up of boats export shipments, which gives the industry a trade surplus of $461.0 million.
Most companies are Canadian-owned. They vary from relatively modest operations to major internationally competitive companies with the resources and management skills to withstand competition from the leading brands.
The United States accounts for 89 percent of Canadian exports, followed by Western Europe with 3.4 percent and the rest of the world, primarily Japan and South America, with 7 percent.
[Canadian Boating Index: Industry Canada: Recreational Boat Industry]
Preventable water-related deaths by type of recreational activity.
| Activity | 1990-1993 | 1994-1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming | 86 | 81 |
| Fishing | 87 | 71 |
| Powerboating | 93 | 67 |
| Partying | N/A | 35 |
| Playing near water | 44 | 35 |
| Canoeing | 30 | 30 |
| Walking on or near water/ice | 36 | 24 |
| Playing/wading in water | 30 | 19 |
| Snowmobiling | 22 | 19 |
| Diving into water | 13 | 14 |
PWC's have proportionally more accidents than other types of boats and the majority of deaths are caused by collisions. Deaths from other types of boats are mainly people drowning without a lifejacket.
A 1995 survey concluded that 90% of boating drownings in Canada occur in inclement weather. Check weather on the Internet by radio, TV, telephone, newspapers, VHF broadcasts!
It's never been shown that licenced operators improve safety or fatalities. [Education may be another matter. Besides, a boating course is a good winter project for the whole family.
Percentage of households owning pleasure craft 1994 Ontario 719,710 41.3% New Brunswick 33,505 19.0% British Columbia 328,969 18.9% Quebec 266,188 15.3% Alberta 145,574 8.3% Saskatchewan 73.326 4.2% Manitoba 71.247 4.1% Nova Scotia 66,010 3.8% NewFoundland 35,584 2.0% Prince Edward Island 4,187 0.2%
In 1994, Canada's most popular boat - a 17 to 19-foot outboard-powered family runabout - ranged between $11,000 - $18,000. The average aluminum fishing boat with outboard motor, personal watercraft, or day sailer were under $10,000. A trailer was about $1,200 more. (1994 Statistics from Industry Canada & the Canadian Marine Manufacturers Association)
The number of households owning pleasure craft and the number of pleasure craft owned in Canada declined in 1994. According to estimates generated in its most recent Household Facilities and Equipment Survey (HFE), Statistics Canada reported that 1.3 million Canadian households owned 1.75 million recreational craft ranging from personal watercraft such as seadoos and sailboards to large yachts. These figures are down from the estimated 1.5 million households and 2 million craft* reported by the same survey in 1992. One in every eight Canadian households reported owning a recreational boat in 1994 compared to an estimated one in seven in 1992, according to the survey's results. Rental boats were not included in the survey.
The average annual number of boating deaths in Ontario from 1969 to 1979 stood at 97. From 1980 to 1990 it dropped to 83, a significant drop.
Year Ontario boating fatalities 1980 123 1981 89 1982 76 1983 70 1984 95 1985 106 1986 72 1987 64 Ontario Boating Fatalities: BOAT TYPE 90 91 92 93 94 95 Powerboats 42 49 55 26 Canoes 16 14 12 4 Sailboats 7 3 2 2 All Other 9 3 3 5 TOTALS 74 69 72 37 46 42