Projects funded under the Boating Safety Contribution Program

MADD Canada will install approximately 425 signs across Canada between 2017 and 2019 that will advise Canadians to contact 911 if they notice drinking-and-boating activity.

MADD Canada will also update, reprint and distribute their safe boating brochure and post cards each year, develop a survey and distribute questionnaires to boaters across Canada that will collect data about boaters’ attitudes and behaviours toward impaired boating and the impact of the signs in year 3 and compare results with survey data compiled from their 2014-15 project and provide a report. The results will provide guidance on how to maximize the impact of education & outreach materials and drive behavioural and attitudinal change with respect to impaired boating.

MADD will additionally produce new English and French safe boating television public service announcements (PSAs) with an emphasis on impaired boating.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) will develop a social marketing campaign and conduct research related to awareness, attitudes and behaviours among recreational boaters in British Columbia.

Phase 1 – an epidemiological report will be generated about recreational boating injuries in BC, including the review of existing reports, lessons learned from prior project evaluations, market research and consultations with experts in the field. Based on these findings, UBC will develop a social marketing campaign to promote safe boating practices and behaviours.

Phase 2 – a campaign will be launched through television, newspapers, blogs, radio, ambient signage and other marketing approaches.

Phase 3 – public response from the campaign will be tracked and the campaign will be modified accordingly. UBC will generate a final report quantifying the campaign’s impacts. Results will be shared with other jurisdictions to promote best practices.

The Canadian Power and Sail Squadron (CPS) will build on the successes of their previous projects and continue with a three year National project to provide education on required safety equipment, the care and maintenance of that equipment and how to safely and effectively use flares when needed. In addition, they will raise awareness of the need to dispose of outdated flares in a timely and safe manner and to offer education and disposal events whereby individuals may return outdated flares to selected CPS and partnering retailers.

The NAssociation Maritime du Québec’s (AMQ) three year project will target boaters to encourage them to adopt safe boating behaviour on and around water, with the goal of making safe boating practices a normal practice when boating. The project will focus around their existing “Suivez la Vague” campaign which includes four components:

• Suivez la Vague pamphlets that includes boating safety tips that can be modified to include a specific lake or river across Québec;
• Video clips about boating safety shared through facebook, website etc.;
• Aluminium information signs with five boating safety messages available to all (marinas, sport federations, boat launches etc.); and
• Educational program for kids that will evolve with the age of the kids.

The Service national des sauveteurs’ three year project is an awareness campaign directed at young boaters to promote the compliance of boating safety regulations and safe boating practices and will take place throughout the province of Québec. The awareness campaign will be developed around social media messaging and will include a public service announcement in French and English to target popular boating activities and will be distributed to TV, social media, and posted on the SNS website.

The University of Ottawa’s three year project will focus on adapting the Pleasure Craft Operator Course, the Cold Water Survival Course and the Alaska’s Kids Don’t Float Program to the regional needs of the Inuvialuit region. Boating safety events will be organized to deliver three modified training programs and for all of the courses, community members will be mentored to become instructors and boating safety equipment will be delivered.

The Shuswap Lifeboat Society will implement a one year awareness campaign to replenish items and supplies in order to continue delivering safe boating practices to the recreational boating enthusiasts in the Shuswap community and on the Mara and Shuswap Lakes, deliver school programs to eight schools, attend at least ten community events, conduct at least six safety inspections and maintain existing and install two additional Kid’s Don’t Float Kiosks.

The Fraser Basin Council Society’s one year project will deliver a safety campaign for the most needed water recreation safety issues and provide boating/water recreation safety equipment. They will design and deliver safety messages and campaigns via newspaper and magazine articles, paid advertising and social media; distribute rack cards/brochures at marinas, visitor centres and campgrounds; and install signs at popular beaches, boat launches and information kiosks.

They will also purchase marine safety whistles which will be distributed by safety partners (RCMP, BC Conservation Officers, Lake-based patrols etc.) and continue their partnership with Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue to build and equip new “Kid’s Don’t Float” lifejacket loaner stations.

Paddle Newfoundland Labrador’s three year project includes several activities which will assist its membership and the wider public to be prepared to safely paddle in the cold water environments of Newfoundland and Labrador. The project proposes to produce twice a year, their magazine “Ebb & Flow”, which contains a variety of articles related to paddling activities and safe paddling skills and awareness of environmental conditions. Under this project, off season presentations will be delivered and will detail safety tips, trip planning tips and lessons learned. Pool sessions will be offered in Gander and St. John’s and will provide paddlers with the opportunity to learn and improve rescue and handling techniques. Other activities proposed under this project are Safety Days which will aim at teaching and reminding the general public of basic safety while paddling and Annual Retreats which are planned each year to bring together kayakers and canoeists to acquire skills, receive training, and receive presentations from guest speakers.

The Municipalité de Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard’s one year project consists of a marine patrol that will deliver an education and awareness campaign on two popular lakes in Québec (Saint-Joseph and Sainte-Marie). The marine patrol will provide information and guidance to the public on boating regulations related to water sports and water safety and verify and replace buoys in “at risk” zones on both lakes as well as on the river that joins both lakes.

An information pamphlet as well as a video on boating safety will be developed and distributed. The pamphlet will include a map of both lakes including the river that joins the lakes with buoys, at risk zones, and reduced speed limit zones clearly marked. They will also have an information booth at two local events.

The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District’s three year project contains two components. The first component consists of visiting local schools to promote recreational boating safety to children to bring awareness about the dangers of unsafe practices and the responsibility of having fun in the sun on the water. The second component will be a Sproat Lake Marine Patrol. The Marine Patrol will be located at the boat launch during expected peak volume and when not stationed at the boat launch, will patrol the lake. They will provide information and guidance to the public on boating regulations, water safety, etiquette, hazards, tourist information, as well as conduct Pleasure Craft Courtesy Check. They will also observe and report dangerous watercraft operations, offer assistance, observe on-shore activities, record and report incidents of concerns and collect and record water clarity and temperature at predetermined locations. Through this project, a Personal Flotation Device loaner station will also be available at the boat launch.

The Association pour la protection du Lac Massawippi’s project is a continuation of a two-year funded project that aims at improving boater understanding and behaviour and instill a sense of self-responsibility and management for the education and awareness of boating safety related regulations and practices as well as the respect for the environment of the Lac Massawippi and its tributaries. A “calepin intelligent” notebook will be developed and will include the most updated information on boating safety which will be updated annually. This notebook will be posted online and paper copies will be available at municipal offices, boat launches and will be mailed to boaters. Bleu Massawippi will also continue promoting boating safety on land and on water with a Marine Patrol (students). Finally, they will attend conferences, meetings etc. to advertise their activities with the intent of nationalizing the project and will create a manual on self-responsibility and updated guide using the reports and research from both projects (Phase 1 and 2).