Attention Boaters! Get your Operator Card or face a $250 fine this summer!
OTTAWA, May 17 /CNW/ - Canadians looking to go boating this long weekend are warned that they will be fined a minimum of $250 if caught without a Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
This is the first year that ALL Canadian boaters must have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card - regardless of age, size of boat or engine horsepower. Commonly known as a boating license, the Operator Card can be obtained by achieving a score of at least 75% on a 36 question multiple choice exam.
An Operator Card is required for all types of motorized boats, including those with electric trolling motors and engines that are less than 10hp.
"If you're one of the more than 6 million boaters who may have waited to the last minute, there is still time to be legal this spring. Taking the exam online at www.BoatSmartExam.com is the quickest way to get the card" says Cameron Taylor, spokesperson for BOATsmart! Canada.
The official exam is available online 24/7 at www.BoatSmartExam.com. Boaters are able to print a temporary card immediately when they pass. The permanent Pleasure Craft Operator Card is then mailed and is good for life.
Enforcement agencies across the country have already begun to fine boaters who don't have their card. Police, RCMP and Conservation Officers believe that Canadians have had fair warning, noting that the federal law has been phased in over a ten year period.
Traffic to the Transport Canada Accredited website has increased significantly since the September 15, 2009 deadline, with thousands of boaters completing the exam online daily. www.BoatSmartExam.com offers free study materials and practice exams, and has been the leading choice for Canadians to obtain the card.
"BOATsmart! Canada is very prepared to help boaters this spring. The exam is available online, in person and by taking a classroom course at BOATsmart! locations across Canada. Our Boating Safety Professionals are available to assist Canadians toll free, seven days a week at 1-877-792-3926" says Taylor.
For those looking to take the exam in person, BOATsmart! Canada offers the largest network of community exam locations across Canada. Boaters can also look for the organization's Safe Boating Teams which administer the exam throughout Cottage and Cabin country. Community locations can be found at www.BoatSmartExam.com.
Boat operators are cautioned that they must be able to provide the physical card when asked, or they will be fined. Those in need of replacement cards can access BOATsmart! Canada's national database and order replacement cards by calling 1-877-792-3926.
BOATsmart! Canada is a Transport Canada Accredited Course Provider and the country's largest and most recognized boating educator. The organization's mission it to educate recreational boaters and promote the safe, enjoyable and environmentally friendly use of Canada's waterways. For more information visit www.BoatSmartExam.com or call the BOATsmart! Info Line at 1-877-792-3926. Boating Safety Professionals are available daily from 9AM to Midnight EST.
For further information: For media inquiries and to arrange an interview please contact Cameron Taylor, Spokesperson, BOATsmart! Canada, 1-877-792-3926 x212 or Cell (416) 524-8943, [email protected]
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