In this issue: Message from the Chair, Canadian Safe Boating Awards (CASBAs), Cold Water Workshop News, Time to Renew your Membership – and your Support!, Changes to Pleasure Craft Licensing Requirements, Dave Moffatt Wins Boating Ontario Award, Meet CSBC Ambassador Steve Bull, and more.
Message from the Chair
Happy New Year to all of our partners and stakeholders!
With the holiday season firmly in the rearview mirror, another exciting period is upon us. It is boat show time across Canada! As we sit in the winter doldrums, it’s an opportunity to dream about and prepare for the 2026 boating season that will be upon us before we know it. The shows are an opportunity for vessel manufacturers, dealers, marinas, chandleries, insurance companies, electronic retailers, educators, maintenance providers and power-train specialists to promote their products and services. It is an opportunity for all of us to begin (or continue) to share our safe boating messages. As I wander through our local boat show and hear conversations between exhibitors and their clients, it is satisfying to hear that safety is often a part of the dialogue. The messaging and the example demonstrated by our safe boating partners, members and sponsors has paved the way for all in the boating community to have these important conversations. Safety begins with a conversation, followed by planning and action. It is tremendous to see this happening at the show.
While we are on the subject of the importance of safe boating conversations, I would like to remind all of you that you can access, through the CSBC website Campaigns – Canadian Safe Boating Council our Safe Boating Awareness Week media toolkit that also includes multi-media and hardcopy resources. We encourage anyone who wishes to host a safe boating awareness week event to contact us and we can certainly help you get prepared. Our goal is to continue to build on the brand and support media events from coast to coast to coast. Our thanks to all who participated last year, and we have many more who have made the commitment to host an event this year. Safe Boating Awareness Week, May 16-22, is a timely opportunity to emphasize our collective messaging to make recreational boating enjoyable and safe.
On January 18, we celebrated our Canadian Safe Boating Award winners at our annual presentation and dinner, which was held at the National Yacht Club in Toronto. What a memorable event! It was a great opportunity to network with others in the marine industry while at the same time recognizing those who have made boating safer for all of us. Every year, I am humbled by the dedication, innovation, selflessness and expertise that is on display. Congratulations to all of our deserving recipients and many thanks to our volunteers who help make this event happen. I must also express our gratitude to our sponsors, who year after year come forward to help support this event. And once again, our Presenting Sponsor for rescue of the year was Mustang Survival – thank you for your ongoing partnership!
Pete
Canadian Safe Boating Awards (CASBAs)
The 2025 Canadian Safe Boating Awards (CASBAs) were held on Sunday, January 18 at the National Yacht Club in Toronto. At this gala event the Canadian Safe Boating Council, its members and stakeholders in recreational boating safety assembled to honour the people, programs, organizations and marinas that help to make boating in Canada safer and better for all of us, and to keep the environment clean.
The CSBC is proud to announce the following winners of this year’s CASBA Awards:
Mustang Survival Rescue of the Year
Len Strahl and Jason Foster
In recognition of performing a life-saving water rescue
Rescue of the Year – First Responder
Cst. David Knight and Cst Mike Van Maaren, Halton Regional Police Service
In recognition of performing a life-saving water rescue as a First Responder
Best Boating Safety Initiative
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
In recognition of pioneering the Boaters Handbook, a landmark initiative that enhances safe, informed, and responsible navigation in the Port of Vancouver
Best Media Contribution to Boating Safety
Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, Ontario Provincial Police
In recognition of promoting boating safety through media engagement
Marine Industry
GLORope Safety Solutions – Scott Harrigan
In recognition of the GLO Ring, an innovative glow-in-the-dark throw ring that greatly improves safety during nighttime man-overboard rescues.
Top Volunteer Dedicated to Safe Boating
Eric Labaupa
In recognition of exemplary leadership, community outreach and influential presence within Manitoba’s fishing and boating communities.
Marine Professional of the Year
Sgt David Portelance, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
In recognition of outstanding leadership, professionalism and enduring dedication to marine safety in Canada
Special Recognition
Captain Anthony Patterson
In recognition of over 44 years of exemplary leadership in marine search and rescue and groundbreaking contributions to training innovations
Special Recognition
Amphibious Response Support Unit One
In recognition of your outstanding contribution to advancing safe boating practices and strengthening boating safety awareness across the Prairie and Northern Region communities.
The CASBA Gala recognizes the efforts of the public, volunteers, professionals, agencies and organizations who have distinguished themselves in boating safety and environmental stewardship. Each CASBA event has shared amazing stories of bravery, innovation, passion and dedication. In addition, it is a wonderful opportunity to build community and make connections. This year’s event was a prime example of that: Scott Harrigan of GLORope Safety Solutions was speaking of his frustrations with getting official regulatory approval for his products, which would increase their availability and save lives. Tony Patterson received a CASBA Award in part for his successful lobbying effort for the International Maritime Organization and Transport Canada to recognize marine simulation training. At the end of the evening, the two of them were arranging follow-up discussions!
Interested in more networking to support your business, learn from colleagues and make new friends? Join us at the CSBC Symposium in Quebec City in September! Annual Symposium – Canadian Safe Boating Council
The CSBC would like to thank Presenting Sponsor Mustang and our other sponsors, without whom the CASBAs would not be possible:
- Presenting Sponsor: Mustang Survival
- Gold Sponsor: The Cook-Rees Memorial Fund
- Silver Sponsor: MD Marine Insurance
- Silver Sponsor: Salus
- Bronze Sponsor: Boater Exam.com
- Bronze Sponsor: Maple Leaf Marinas
For additional information on the CASBAs, future events and boating safety information, please visit www.csbc.ca.
Cold Water Workshop News
The last of this winter’s Virtual Cold Water Workshops is coming up from 8:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday February 24 and Thursday, February 26, 2026. Learn from renowned cold water and thermophysiology expert Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht how cold water immersion affects the body and what to do if you or someone else falls into the water. Register at Cold Water Workshops (csbc.ca)
The CSBC will also be hosting a One Day (General Interest) Cold Water Immersion Workshop from 7 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. on May 14, 2026. It will be held at the Toronto Harbour Nautical Centre, 275 Queens Quay West, Toronto. Cost will be $185. Instruction will be in English. The morning will be spent in class, while the afternoon will be spent dockside. Register at Cold Water Workshops – Canadian Safe Boating Council
The CSBC is continuing to explore partnerships to allow us to offer more cold water training, potentially including in French. Stay tuned for developments!
Time to Renew your Membership – and your Support!
Our mission is to promote safe and responsible recreational boating throughout Canada. We know we are making a difference, and that’s because of your support. The number of boaters continues to grow. So has the need for the highly-regarded programs provided by the CSBC – such as Better Boater, STARTboating, Rental Boat Safety, Safe Boating Awareness Week, Cold Water Awareness and more (www.csbc.ca). But these programs are only possible with your support.
Having now caught our breath after the Toronto International Boat Show and a busy January, we have just recently sent out 2026 membership reminders and invoices.
Your support of the CSBC and all that it does is very much appreciated. We couldn’t do it without you. Not just the fees but the other valuable in-kind support that many of you provide.
The invoice identifies payment options although eTransfer is much preferred.
Not yet a member and interested in coming on board? Go to https://csbc.ca/en/about-us/membership or contact our Executive Support Officer, John McMullen for information john.mcmullen@teksavvy.com
Changes to Pleasure Craft Licensing Requirements
Transport Canada has announced changes to pleasure craft licensing requirements. The following changes have taken effect as of December 31, 2025:
new and renewed pleasure craft licences will only be valid for five years
current lifetime licences will be gradually replaced with licences that must be renewed every five years.
a $24 service fee (new) will apply to issuing, renewing, transferring, or replacing a Pleasure Craft Licence. This fee will be updated annually for inflation
licence holders must now update their information within 30 days of a change in their name or address, instead of the previous 90 days.
Beginning two years after the regulations take effect, wind-powered pleasure craft over six metres in length will also be required to hold a licence.
These changes will make boating safer, protect the environment, and ensure licence holders share the cost of administering the program fairly. This will also help the Government to tackle wrecked, hazardous, and abandoned vessels by keeping ownership information accurate and up to date. More information at Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons announces changes to make boating safer for Canadians – Canada.ca
Dave Moffatt Wins Boating Ontario Award
Congratulations to Dave Moffatt on being presented by Boating Ontario with the W.J. Robertson Award! We are proud to have Dave as a CSBC Board member. Not saying that the Boating Ontario award has gone to his head, but Dave was spotted wearing a gold lamé jacket at the CASBAs.
Meet CSBC Ambassador Steve Bull
Steven Bull is an award-winning broadcaster, comedian, and passionate boater with over 15 years of on-air experience. He’s been a news reporter, Olympic sports host, and co-hosted the long-running PowerBoat Television series. Since 2022, he’s hosted and produced Water Ways TV, a boating lifestyle series that blends adventure, humour, and safety education. Off the water, Steve brings his sharp wit to stand-up comedy stages across North America and is currently developing a live docu-theatre experience based on a global rock and roll story he chased from Los Angeles to Germany. Whether he’s tying dock lines or delivering punchlines, Steve’s storytelling is always anchored in passion, purpose, and a sense of adventure.
In Brief
The Canadian Safe Boating Council was on hand at the Toronto International Boat Show in January to present key safety messages and discuss boating safety with those who dropped by. Thanks to Jan Heard and CSBC Director Lisa Hanson Ouellette, pictured below, and other CSBC Directors and volunteers who represented us so well. Many thanks as well to the Ontario Provincial Police for their support.