CSBC Newsletter - August 2022 |
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In This Issue
- Message from the Chair
- Introduction to new Chair and Board Members
- CSBC In-Person Symposium, Mont Tremblant
- Registration Open: In-Person and Virtual Cold Water Workshops
- CSBC Shock and Awe Project Approved
- We’d Love to Hear Your Boating Stories!
- Next Phase of Oceans Protection Plan Announced
- Nominations for 24th Annual CASBAs Are Now Open!
- Using Pleasure Craft as Non-Pleasure Craft
- Boating Safety in the United States
- In Brief
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Let me start by offering my sincere thanks to Joe Gatfield for his past three years as the Chair of the CSBC. Joe’s dedication to the CSBC and our mission and objectives has been awe-inspiring and a real pleasure to witness and learn from. Joe maintains a position on the CSBC Executive as Past Chair, Treasurer and Chair of the Nominations Committee.
As for the CSBC, we can congratulate ourselves and build on the following major successes:
- The CSBC has implemented many successful boating safety projects, research studies and cold water training workshops, and has accumulated many valuable educational materials, and activities that have brand equity. The CSBC has brought boating safety partners together through the Canadian Safe Boating Awards (CASBAs), the virtual Symposiums, and newsletters and other communications activities. We have credibility through international partnerships and agreements and co-chairing key boating safety committees in Canada.
- We have been successful in re-signing what was our first commercial joint promotion agreement back in 2015 and we have secured increased sponsorships from significant partners. This is a major step forward in beginning to capitalize on the value of the CSBC brand and activities. There is significant potential for additional sponsorships, based on what we have to offer.
- We have dedicated, competent and knowledgeable volunteers who serve on our Board and Committees but, despite being able to recruit a few new Directors, we need more of them.
- There are also growing conversations and related projects and statistics that support a call for mandatory PFD wear. While we do not all agree with mandatory wear, there does appear to be some agreement that, if we are to have mandatory wear, it be evidence-based and apply to all boaters on boats less than 6 meters in length while on deck and underway.
All the above being said, we do have our challenges. We have become a major business, but without the ongoing financial stability to allow a permanent base of administrative staff to support our range and volume of ongoing activities. The number of organizations and companies who are active CSBC members and serve on our board and committees has declined, and growing individual membership numbers continues to be a challenge.
Our primary Action Priorities continue to be:
- Increase business, sponsorship and other revenues to establish consistent and stable funding to fulfill the CSBC mission and run the organization.
- Plan and complete the annual CASBAs and Symposium back face to face.
- Generate revenues from cold water training and sale of CSBC products.
- Grow membership.
- Recruit new volunteer support.
- Revitalize coordinated external communications.
- Deliver boating safety and education projects like the Canadian Safe Boating Campaign.
- Promote CSBC influence with stakeholders and partners.
- Plan and deliver CSBC Volunteer Recognition Awards.
- Review Board requirements for future years, solicit interest and develop nominations for 2023.
- Continue ongoing management of the organization.
For our future the Canadian Safe Boating Council aims to be Canada’s leading boating safety organization. We are an organization of organizations. We are collaborative, bringing a wide range of partners and stakeholders together to promote boating safety. We have strong support from industry, government and individual members, and work closely with international partners. The CSBC has a sound management and administrative base and we carry out effective activities and offer valuable resources that save lives on the water.
I thank those of you who have become Directors and Executive members of the organization.
I encourage those of you who are not yet members to join us and to those who are members to provide active support to our various activities. Here is how you can participate:
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Attend our annual Symposium by registering on line through our website www.csbc.ca. Reserve your hotel room by August 20 to benefit from the reduced Symposium room rate.
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Put forward a nomination for our annual CASBA Awards. The call for this year’s awards to be presented in January 2023 is out now. Again go to www.csbc.ca.
Respectfully submitted.
John
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Introduction to new Chair and Board Members |
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John Gullick
John really needs no introduction, as he is well-known to boaters and the boating industry across Canada and internationally: as a strong boating safety advocate and public spokesperson, a boating educator with a wealth of both theoretical and practical knowledge, and a tireless and supportive community volunteer. John is a seasoned senior manager with over fifty years of experience in the non-for-profit field (Editor’s note: John insists his career started at the age of ten!)
John has worked in various program management and government relations roles with the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons since 1999, including management of the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) and Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) programs, provided through 130 Squadrons, 300 independent Recognized Providers/Examiners and a number of Provincial Partner Organizations. John has co-chaired the Canadian Marine Advisory Council’s Standing Committee on Recreational Boating since 2007, served on more than 45 community volunteer boards, most as Chair or Executive member, and is past Chair of the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival.
John received the Top Volunteer Dedicated to Boating Safety Award at this year’s Canadian Safe Boating Awards (CASBAs). Welcome back to your third time serving as Chair of the Canadian Safe Boating Council, John – we are so lucky to have you!
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Mike Dean
From bass boats to jet skis, wakeboards to stand up paddleboards, Mike knows his way around watercraft. Mike has been an active member of the Canadian Safe Boating Council since 2015, supporting the mission to bring a collective voice to safety and awareness. He previously served on the CSBC Board from 2015-2017, and we are delighted to welcome him back.
In his previous position with BOATERexam.com, Mike was often called on by the media to talk about boating safety during national awareness campaigns. A safe boating instructor and avid boater with over 30 years of experience, Mike led on-site boating safety certification and testing, working closely with Transport Canada while making sure the 1.5 million visitors a year to BOATERexam.com had a winning experience. Mike has had the privilege of experiencing boating all over Canada, from Frobisher Bay in Nunavut to fly-in lakes in northern Manitoba and salmon fishing in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Mike resides in Burlington, Ontario and spends much of his summer at his family cottage in Western Quebec where you can find him and his family boating and fishing all summer!
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Jason Krott
Coming in next newsletter.
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CSBC In-Person Symposium, Mont Tremblant |
It’s almost here! Welcome back to the first in-person CSBC Symposium in two years! Enjoy the learning, networking, camaraderie and energy that our annual Symposium participants always comment on.
We’ve been working hard to line up a great program for you. Highlights:
- Update on the latest research on lifejacket wear from the CSBC and Transport Canada
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Panel on We’re all in the same boat, let’s talk! Speakers from different sectors of the Quebec boating community share their perspectives and lead discussion
- Boating safety trends in the U.S. from the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Safe Boating Council
- A variety of other speakers on boating safety issues, with a Quebec flavour: Nautisme Quebec, Sureté du Québec, Québec Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Canadian Coast Guard and many more
- Enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful scenery on a networking cruise on Lac Tremblant.
Don’t delay, register for the Symposium and book your hotel room today! Check out our website for the latest agenda details.
Hotel Information – Click Here or call 1-888-627-8672 to book your room directly.
Mention CSBC 2022 Annual Symposium to get the special group rate. Book by August 20 to get the special rate.
More information about the Symposium and the Canadian Safe Boating Council at www.csbc.ca.
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Registration Open: In-Person and Virtual Cold Water Workshops |
In the middle of summer we don’t automatically think of cold water, but most of the waters in which we boat in Canada are cold enough that accidental immersion can easily result in cold water shock. Wearing a lifejacket is the first step in protecting yourself and your loved ones. Another great step would be taking one of our cold water workshops to learn more about cold water immersion, survival, and how you can help others.
Registration is now open for our popular virtual workshops, in which the CSBC and Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, renowned cold water and thermophysiology expert, offer five hours of training, spread over two evenings, for a cost of $100. These workshops are informative, interactive and open to everyone. Click here for registration information.
- TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4 & THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6
- TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 & THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20
- TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22 & THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24
- TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 & THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1
- TUESDAY, JANUARY 10 & THURSDAY, JANUARY 12
- TUESDAY, JANUARY 24 & THURSDAY, JANUARY 26
- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7 & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9
- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23
- TUESDAY, MARCH 7 & THURSDAY, MARCH 9
- TUESDAY, MARCH 21 & THURSDAY, MARCH 23
All workshops run from 8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Eastern time.
IN PERSON WORKSHOPS SEPTEMBER 11 AND 12, LONGUEIL: REGISTER NOW!
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Maybe you’re a first responder or are interested in something more hands-on? Our in-person workshops combine both morning classroom sessions with the afternoons spent in practical activities dockside. There is a one-day general interest workshop covering a wide range of cold water topics at a cost of $185 per person. We also offer two-day instructor workshops for those who want to take what they have learned back to their organizations to be taught to their personnel. These concentrate more on the delivery of the materials and practical rescue techniques. The price for this instructor workshop is $400 per person.
Our next in-person workshops will be held at the Club Nautique de Longueil, Quebec (close to Montreal), just before the CSBC Symposium in Mont Tremblant:
Registration will be closing soon! Click on the above links to register. For more information, please contact Ian Gilson. ([email protected])
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CSBC Shock and Awe Project Approved |
Public Safety Canada has approved the CSBC’s Shock and Awe project for funding from the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SARNIF). The three-year, $1.213 M project will involve research into the effect of accidental immersion in water of any temperature; as with all CSBC research projects, the findings will be shared with the broader boating safety community.
The CSBC’s Cold Water Boot Camp*, with its focus on the risks of accidental cold water immersion, changed Canadian boaters’ perceptions of lifejacket wear especially when the water is cold. Shock and Awe will “raise the water temperature” and take the “cold” out of accidental cold water immersion to prove that any accidental fall overboard can result in drowning.
Similar to the shock of sudden cold water immersion, the simple surprise of an accidental fall overboard can cause a gasp reflex that can result in immediate drowning or compromising a person’s ability to swim and self-rescue.
Through a series of experiments, the CSBC in partnership with Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht (aka Professor Popsicle), will conduct research with volunteers, subjecting them to a series of surprise situations. Their physical reactions will be measured and recorded and the results shared with boating safety stakeholders and the general boating public across Canada. It is expected that the results will help to make boaters more aware of the risks of accidental immersion in water of any temperature, and increase lifejacket wear.
*Note: the CSBC’s Cold Water Boot Camp and Beyond Cold Water Boot Camp (in English and French) are still available for purchase at Cold Water DVD's (csbc.ca)
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We’d Love to Hear Your Boating Stories! |
BetterBoater is a three-year CSBC national boating safety and social media outreach program, supported by funding from Transport Canada’s Boating Safety Contribution Program. “I Learned About Boating From…” is the new educational segment that we are introducing to the BetterBoater community during this second year of the program.
It is always better to learn from the experiences of others before you have them yourself… especially if the experiences are bad! Plus it has been demonstrated that communities of interest enjoy hearing about the experiences of others, both good and bad. What learning stories do you, your family members or friends have? We would love you to share them with us and the BetterBoater community! So please send your stories and experiences to [email protected]
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Next Phase of Oceans Protection Plan Announced |
On July 19 the Prime Minister announced the next phase of Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan. With the new investment of $2 billion over nine years, announced in Budget 2022, Canada will establish 15 new measures to expand ocean protection initiatives to more regions and better proactively combat emerging threats to marine safety, while continuing or expanding 39 existing initiatives. This new funding is in addition to the $1.5 billion initially announced in 2016 and brings the total invested in support of the plan to $3.5 billion.
The renewed and expanded plan will help make further progress to:
- Enhance the protection and restoration of vulnerable marine ecosystems and wildlife;
- Improve the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of Canada’s marine supply chains and mitigate their impacts on the environment, including by advancing research on marine pollution, ecosystems, and wildlife;
- Better manage marine traffic navigation off our coasts and marine incidents of all types; and
- Advance partnerships and training opportunities for Indigenous and coastal communities to incorporate their expertise and experiences in various aspects of marine safety and ecosystem protection.
More detailed information about specific initiatives such as expansion of the Indigenous Communities Boat Volunteer Program, which increases marine SAR capability in the Arctic, additional funding for the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the expansion of the Risk-based Analysis of Maritime SAR Delivery (RAMSARD) to the Arctic, can be found through the following link Delivering clean oceans and healthy coasts with an expanded Oceans Protection Plan | Prime Minister of Canada (pm.gc.ca). Attendees at the CSBC Symposium in Mont Tremblant from September 13 – 15 will also be able to hear more about RAMSARD from presenter Jean Bourdon of the Canadian Coast Guard.
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Nominations for the 24th Annual CASBAs Are Now Open! |
We need YOU to share the stories of those who should be recognized for their contributions to boating safety in Canada. We are now accepting nominations in the following categories for the 2022 Canadian Safe Boating Awards:
- Stearns Rescue of the Year
- Top Volunteer Dedicated to Boating Safety
- Safeguarding the Environment
- Marine Professional of the Year
- Visible PFD / Lifejacket Wear in Advertising
- Marine Industry Award
- Best Boating Safety Initiative
- Best Media Contribution to Boating Safety
- Special Recognition Award
If you have someone you would like to nominate, please visit our website for nomination forms. Deadline for submissions is October 31, 2022.
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Using Pleasure Craft as Non-Pleasure Craft
With thanks to Transport Canada for content.
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In recent years, the emergence of online platforms and mobile applications, which allow pleasure craft owners to list their vessels for rent, have made it easier for vessel owners to turn their boats into revenue generators. However, as with short-term property rental and ride sharing services (e.g., Airbnb, Uber, etc.), not all operators of these new small businesses are familiar with the laws and regulations governing them, in particular when the vessel is rented with a captain and crew. Transport Canada has now issued new guidelines: Using pleasure craft as non-pleasure craft - SSB No.: 14/2022 (canada.ca)
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Boating Safety in the United States |
The United States Coast Guard has published its 2021 Recreational Boating Statistics report. Among the key findings:
- Fatality rates went down by 15.4%, from 6.5 deaths per 100,000 registered vessels in 2020 to 5.5 deaths per 100,000 registered vessels in 2021
- Where the cause of death was known, 81% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. Of those drowning victims with reported lifejacket usage, 83% were not wearing a lifejacket.
Even better, find out more and hear about boating safety trends in the United States from the experts themselves at the CSBC Symposium in Mont Tremblant, where both Verne Gifford, Chief, U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division, and Peg Phillips, Executive Director, U.S. National Safe Boating Council, will be speaking
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Haven't renewed your CSBC membership yet? It would be great to have you on board! Go to Membership (csbc.ca)
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Taken in Bon Echo Provincial Park by Jaan Luubert. Many thanks, Jaan! |
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