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 (TSB) 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 people.
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 the passengers onboard the Navark Faucon Millenium were knocked to the deck due to the impact, and some were treated in hospital for their injuries.
The investigation found that the pleasure craft operator 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 adequately prepare him to assess the risk of collision in such a complex marine environment. He failed to account for the effects of dynamic instability as the vessels approached one another and did not take appropriate action to reduce the collision risk.
A certification gap with a paper trail
The finding is not new territory for the TSB. The board noted that similar safety deficiencies related to training and certification were identified in two previous investigations, making Wednesday's recommendation the latest in an escalating pattern of concern.
Between 2012 and 2021, an average of 106 fatalities per year were associated with recreational boating in Canada, according to the media release. Of those deaths, 57 per cent involved powerboats.
Under current regulations, the most common way for pleasure craft operators to demonstrate competency is to pass a theory test and obtain a PCOC. Practical training is not mandatory. The TSB's review of sample PCOC manuals available online found limited guidance on vessel manoeuvrability, the behaviour of high-speed craft, and effective manoeuvres to comply with the Collision Regulations when operating near larger commercial vessels.
The PCOC also does not expire, carries no refresher requirements, and makes no distinction between low-complexity and high-complexity operating environments, such as a busy commercial shipping corridor like the St. Lawrence.
The TSB has previously noted that while the PCOC training syllabus covers key safety topics, the depth of content offered by commercial course providers has been found to be limited, raising concerns that current requirements do not provide operators with sufficient knowledge for safe navigation on high-traffic waterways.
The recommendation: TSB M26-01
The TSB's new recommendation, M26-01, states that Transport Canada should modify the Pleasure Craft Operator Competency Program to ensure that pleasure craft operators acquire and maintain a sufficient level of knowledge to be able to respond to the unique elements of the conditions in which they operate.
The board pointed to graduated licensing and periodic refresher training, models already established in other modes of transportation, as approaches with proven track records that could be adapted for recreational boating.
Transport Canada began discussions in 2018 on proposed amendments to the Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations, with changes including updates to course provider selection, fee structures, and ministerial authority to suspend or revoke accreditation. Pre-publication of those proposed regulations had been expected in mid-2025. Wednesday's recommendation adds formal pressure to that process.
The TSB, an independent agency, does not assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability. Its mandate is the advancement of transportation safety.
