MONTRÉAL, May 15, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, today announced more than $1.8 million in funding over the next three years for eleven boating safety awareness projects under Transport Canada's Boating Safety Contribution Program (BSCP).
"We are pleased to support not-for-profit and public safety organizations, local governments and other institutions as we work to deliver effective boating safety programs in Canadian communities," said Minister Lebel. "Together, we are making waterways safer and working to reduce boating fatalities and injuries."
Funding under the BSCP has been allocated as follows:
- Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC), up to $909,400;
- Canadian Red Cross (CRC) - Atlantic Zone, up to $228,062;
- Association Maritime du Québec (AMQ), up to $286,985;
- Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot, up to $23,925;
- Canadian Power & Sails Squadrons (CPS), up to $75,750;
- Kayak Newfoundland and Labrador (KNL), up to $12,465;
- Conseil québécois du nautisme (CQN), up to $60,000;
- Conseil de gestion du bassin-versant de la rivière Restigouche, up to $18,884;
- South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue Association (SEASARA), up to $13,500;
- Fédération québécoise du canot et du kayak (FQCK), up to $62,499; and
- Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA) Pacific, Inc, up to $150,000.
The program aims to increase the number of pleasure craft operators who follow safe boating practices, improve the availability of national boating incident data to enhance awareness and education initiatives, and reduce loss of life, injuries and property damage due to boating accidents.
The renewed program is nearly twice the size of the previous program, allowing it to fund more boating safety projects across Canada. The program provides financial contributions of up to 75 per cent of eligible costs of projects that advance boating safety awareness and promote the importance of following safe boating practices.
In addition, the Minister announced a call for applications under the BSCP for additional education and awareness projects that promote safe boating practices which would start in the 2014 boating season. Applications will be accepted until October 15, 2013.
This announcement comes just prior to North American Safe Boating Awareness Week 2013, which is taking place from May 18 to 24. For more information, please visit the Canadian Safe Boating Council website at www.csbc.ca.
For more information about the Boating Safety Contribution Program, please visit: www.tc.gc.ca/bscp.
A backgrounder with information about this year's funding recipients and projects is attached.
Backgrounder
2013-14 Recipients under the Boating Safety Contribution Program
| Canadian Safe Boating Council | www.csbc.ca |
| The Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) has been approved to receive a contribution of up to an amount of $909,400 towards their three-year project. | |
| The CSBC's project supports regulatory compliance and raises knowledge and awareness of safe boating practices among boaters through prevention, promotional campaigns and research activities. | |
| Canadian Red Cross (CRC) - Atlantic Zone | www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=453&tid=001 |
| The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $228,062 towards their two-year project. | |
| The CRC will continue its public service campaign which was initiated under the BSCP in 2012-13. They will focus on the delivery of boating safety education and awareness, targeting families and younger boaters throughout the Atlantic region during the 2013 and 2014 boating seasons. | |
| Association Maritime du Québec (AMQ) | www.nautismequebec.com/EN |
| The Association Maritime du Québec (AMQ) has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $286,985 towards their three-year project. | |
| The AMQ's project encourages boaters to adopt safe boating behaviour on and around water, with the goal of making safe boating practices a normal practice when boating. | |
| Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot | www.acrd.bc.ca |
| The Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $23,925 towards their one-year project. | |
| The Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot's project is a continuation of the Sproat Lake Boating Safety Awareness Program. It focuses on delivering a boating safety awareness program directed at local youth and tourists who visit Sproat Lake, B.C. | |
| Canadian Power & Sails Squadrons (CPS) | www.cps-ecp.ca |
| The Canadian Power & Sails Squadrons (CPS) has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $75,750 towards their three-year project. | |
| The CPS will continue to raise public awareness of boating safety issues and increase the level of pleasure craft operators following safe boating practices by offering a basic Recreational Vessel Courtesy Check to the boating public. | |
| Kayak Newfoundland and Labrador (KNL) | www.kayakers.nf.ca |
| Kayak Newfoundland and Labrador (KNL) has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $12,465 towards their one-year project. | |
| KNL's project will improve kayak safety and wider awareness of kayak safety in the province through programs and communications with a focus on three locations: Corner Brook, Gander and St. John's. | |
| Conseil québécois du nautisme (CQN) | www.conseilquebecoisdunautisme.com (French only) |
| The Conseil québécois du nautisme (CQN) has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $60,000 towards their three-year project. | |
| The CQN's project is a continuation of previous boating safety campaigns supported by the Boating Safety Contribution Program. It involves a media boating safety campaign spanning the summers of 2013 to 2015. | |
| Conseil de gestion du bassin-versant de la rivière Restigouche | www.restigouche.org |
| The Conseil de gestion du basin Versant de la rivière Restigouche's project has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $18,884 towards their one-year project. | |
| The Conseil de gestion du basin Versant de la rivière Restigouche's project aims to increase knowledge of the Restigouche river users and its tributaries on the elements of water safety. | |
| South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue Association (SEASARA) | www.seasar.ca |
| The South Eastern Alberta Search and Rescue Association (SEASARA) has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $13,500 towards their one-year project. | |
| The SEASARA's project aims to increase boater safety, based on the consequences of not following boat safety regulations resulting in emergency responders/Search and Rescue personnel to look for the victim. | |
| Fédération québécoise du canot et du kayak (FQCK) | www.canot-kayak.qc.ca (French only) |
| The Fédération québécoise du canot et du kayak (FQCK) has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $62,499 towards their three-year project. | |
| The FQCK's boating safety awareness/prevention campaign "On the water, it goes without saying" will cover three boating seasons and take place across Québec. It will continue to raise awareness of the risks on the water. | |
| Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA) Pacific, Inc. | www.ccga-pacific.org |
| The Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary - Pacific Region has been approved to receive a contribution of up to $150,000 towards their one-year project. | |
| The CCGA's project is a voluntary Vessel Safety Survey program which is the on-water extension of their Pleasure Craft Safety Checks program. | |
| May 2013 | |
SOURCE: Transport Canada
Marie-Josée Paquette
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities,
Minister of the Economic Development
Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs,
Ottawa
613-991-0700
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
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