Delivery of Licences to Pleasure Craft Operators
November 7, 2005
SERVICE CANADA TO
DELIVER LICENCES TO PLEASURE CRAFT
OPERATORS ON BEHALF OF TRANSPORT CANADA

OTTAWA – Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre and Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Belinda Stronach, today announced the signing of an agreement for Service Canada to deliver licences to pleasure craft operators across the country on behalf of Transport Canada. A pleasure craft licence is the number that must be placed on the side of a recreational vessel to assist law enforcement and search and rescue organizations in identifying the owner of the craft.

"There are millions of recreational watercraft across the country and thousands more are expected to be purchased by Canadians over the coming years," said Minister Lapierre. "Today, we are joining forces with Service Canada to increase the number of locations where Canadians can apply for pleasure craft licences and to provide search and rescue and law enforcement agencies with 24 hours a day, seven days a week access to licence information during emergencies."

"Our goal is to make it easier for Canadians to access government services," said Minister Stronach. "The addition of pleasure craft licensing to the range of services available through Service Canada is an example of how we are working to bring better service to more Canadians."

The Canada Border Services Agency has been issuing pleasure craft licences to Canadians since the 1940s, and currently has 120 locations across Canada where Canadians can apply for a free licence. As of April 2006, Service Canada will take over these services at its 320 Service Canada Centres across the country. Canadians will have almost three times as many places to apply for their licences.

In addition to providing Canadians with easier access to service centres, Service Canada will develop a modern licensing system to provide search and rescue and law enforcement agencies with access to licence information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This will allow them to respond to emergencies more quickly and effectively.

The Canada Border Services Agency will continue to provide licensing services until Service Canada implements its service. Information on licensing pleasure craft is available by phoning the Canada Border Services Agency info line at 1-800-461-9999 or Transport Canada’s boating safety info line at 1-800-267-6687. The addresses and telephone numbers of the Canada Border Services Agency customs district offices are listed at: www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/rco-e.html.

Transport Canada recognizes the contribution the Canada Border Services Agency has made to the administration of the licensing program and the sound foundation from which Service Canada will work to further improve the delivery of pleasure craft licenses to Canadians.

Under the Small Vessel Regulations of the Canada Shipping Act, all pleasure craft under 15 gross tons and powered by an engine 10 horsepower (7.5 kilowatts) or more must be licensed or registered, regardless of where they operate in Canada. Transport Canada will continue to administer these regulations together with all other regulations applying to recreational vessels.