St. Lawrence River collision highlights issues with theory-only boating training which left an experienced operator unprepared for commercial traffic
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is calling on Transport Canada to overhaul how recreational boaters are trained and certified, following a June 2024 collision on the St. Lawrence River near Longueuil, Quebec that injured multiple passengers.
The TSB released its investigation report (M24C0142) on Wednesday, detailing how the passenger vessel Navark Faucon Millenium, carrying 38 passengers and two crew members, collided with a pleasure craft carrying six people. Many of those aboard the Navark Faucon Millenium were knocked to the deck, and some were treated in hospital for their injuries, according to the TSB.
Yoan Marier, chair of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said the problem lies at the heart of how boaters are currently certified.
"The current program — the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program — does not provide pleasure craft operators with the skills and the knowledge that they need to be able to operate in complex environments," Marier said. "This card, it's a three-hour course, three hours of theory. There is no practical exam."
A certificate built for the cottage, not the commercial corridor
The investigation found that the pleasure craft operator in the June 2024 incident held a valid Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) and had more than 20 years of recreational boating experience. Despite that background, his training did not prepare him to assess the risk of collision in the dynamic conditions of the St. Lawrence.
Marier acknowledged the current certification is not without merit in simpler settings, but its limitations become dangerous in busier waters.
"This course may be enough for somebody that has a small boat in front of their lake cabin," he said. "But what our investigation uncovered, and also previous investigations before that, is that this is not sufficient for operators to be able to operate in complex environments. The Port of Montreal is an example of a very complex environment. You have a lot of traffic, you have waves, you have also potentially operating around locks, it requires experience, it requires skills, and it requires knowledge."
The concern is not isolated. The TSB has now identified similar training and certification deficiencies in three separate marine investigations, and Marier confirmed the board has two active investigations on the west coast involving comparable issues.
What industry is saying
The finding aligns with what commercial mariners have been experiencing first-hand. As part of its investigation, the TSB surveyed marine pilots, the specialists who board large container ships to guide them through complex waterways like the St. Lawrence Seaway.
"About 80 per cent of them reported that they either had to face a collision, a near miss, or a close quarter situation with a pleasure craft while they were working," Marier said. "So it's very clearly something that the industry has in mind as well."
Between 2012 and 2021, an average of 106 fatalities per year were associated with recreational boating in Canada, with 57 per cent involving powerboats, according to the TSB media release issued Wednesday.
Two solutions on the table
The TSB's formal recommendation, M26-01, asks Transport Canada to modify the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program to ensure operators acquire and maintain sufficient knowledge for the conditions in which they operate. Marier outlined two approaches the TSB has put forward as potential models.
"The first one would be continuous training — let's say you get a pleasure craft operator certificate and you got it 25 years ago. There's currently no requirement for you to update your knowledge, to go back into the books and stay up to date about any changes to the regulations," he said. "The second option would be what we call a graduated licensing system — a licensing system that would allow operators to operate only in certain environments, and then they would have to pursue further training to gain access to other environments."
Marier was careful to note the recommendation is intentionally broad. "Our recommendation gives Transport Canada flexibility. They could also come up with other solutions to fix this deficiency," he said.
Transport Canada has been briefed and has 90 days to respond. "Hopefully they will respond positively and implement the changes," Marier said.
Advice for boaters now
In the meantime, Marier had a direct message for Canada's recreational boating community, including the millions who hold a PCOC.
"Our message to boaters would be to make sure, when they get onto the water, that they are up to date in their knowledge about the regulations and that they are comfortable in the environment where they're going to operate," he said. "If they find out that they may not have the required experience or they may be uncomfortable, bring somebody along who knows the area and who can help you assess the risks."
The TSB's core guidance is straightforward: look at the environment where you plan to operate and make sure your skills and knowledge are a match for it.
