NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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MIDLAND, ON - Members of the OPP Marine Unit attached to the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were kept busy over the Canada Day holiday weekend with patrolling the waterways in North Simcoe. OPP marine officers logged 36 hours of patrol over the June 28 - July 1, 2019 long weekend on the waters of Georgian Bay and Six Mile Lake checking numerous vessels for required safety equipment and operator sobriety along with responding to nine calls for service.
Officers issued three offence notices to marine operators who were cited for consuming liquor on their vessels and nine operators for not having enough life jackets for all persons aboard the vessel (six of those charges on Six Mile Lake) and two other charges under the Canada Shipping Act. Officers did patrol into the dark hours and cited two operators for operating their vessels with insufficient lighting on their vessel for navigation also under the Canada Shipping Act.
Two vessel operators lost their driving privileges after officers noted that they had been drinking prior to their vessel check. The operators after providing a breath sample on the roadside screening device received a three day driver's licence suspension under the Administrative Drivers Licence Suspension (ADLS) program.
Officers were also tasked to search for and assist a canoeist and a windsurfer both of whom were caught in the wind along the Tiny Township Shoreline over the weekend.
Vessel operators are reminded to observe the applicable sections of the Liquor Licence Act of Ontario when out on your vessel with friends and family because impaired boating is impaired driving!"
Please view the following for clarity of the offence of having care and control of a boat underway with open container of liquor contrary to the Liquor Licence Act of Ontario.
Conveying liquor in boat
32(3) No person shall operate or have the care or control of a boat that is underway while there is contained in the boat any liquor, except under the authority of a licence or permit. R.S.O. 1990, c. L.19, s. 32 (3).
Exception
(4) Subsection (3) does not apply if the liquor in the boat,
(a) Is in a container that is unopened and the seal unbroken; or
(b) is stored in a closed compartment. R.S.O. 1990, c. L.19, s. 32 (4).
For anyone who is unsure of the equipment required for their vessel please view the following link to get the "APP" for their mobile device https://csbc.ca/en/ or https://csbc.ca/fr/ or view the Transport Canada Safe Boating Guide at http://www.tc.gc.ca/documents/TP-511e.pdfhttp://www.tc.gc.ca/documents/tp511f.pdf
Police remind vessel operators that an essential part our enforcement effort is to save lives and reduce injuries on our waterways while promoting and educating the public about safe boating practices. Lifejackets only work if you're wearing it!
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