What safety equipment is required on a boat in Canada?

What safety equipment is required to be carried onboard a boat in Canada?  This is a common question.  We have put together a list of items you need to meet the requirements based on the type and size of your boat.  Simply select the tab below that applies to you, and you will see safety equipment is required to be carried onboard a boat in Canada and links to each item, providing you with a handy shopping list!  Of course, these are minimum requirements – we have a lot of great safety gear that will make your boating trips safer and more enjoyable!

Boat Type & Length

  • Paddleboats
  • Watercycles
  • Standup Paddleboards
  • Sealed-Hull and Sit-on-Top Kayaks

Personal Lifesaving Appliances

Visual Signals (If boat is over 6 m)

Vessel Safety Equipment

Navigation Equipment

  • One (1) sound-signalling device or appliance
  • Navigation lights (See Note 4)
  • One (1) magnetic compass (See Note 5)
  • One (1) radar reflector (See Note 6)

Fire Fighting Equipment

  • None.

Note 1 – Reboarding Device

A reboarding device is only required if the vertical height that a person must climb to reboard the boat from the water (freeboard) is over 0.5 m (1’8”).

Note 2 – Flares

Flares were previously referred to as Type A, B, C, and D. These terms may still be found in some product literature. The table below explains the relationship.

Flares are not required for a boat that:

  • is operating on a river, canal or lake in which it can never be more than one (1) nautical mile (1.852 km) from shore; or
  • has no sleeping quarters and is engaged in an official competition or in final preparation for an official competition.

The number of flares required may be reduced by 50 percent (the number of smoke signals cannot exceed 50% of the number of smoke signals given in the tables above) if the boat has one of the following:

Ensuring that your 406 MHz PLB, or EPIRB is registered, as well as updating the information regularly, will facilitate the task for search and rescue personnel in the event of a distress situation. For further information regarding VHF radios or EPIRBS please visit: https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/oep-navigation-radiocommsfaqs-1489.htm

Note 3 – Bailer and Manual Bilge Pump

A bailer or manual bilge pump is not required for a boat that cannot hold enough water to make it capsize or a boat that has watertight compartments that are sealed and not readily accessible.

Note 4 – Navigation Lights

Navigation lights are only required if you operate the boat after sunset, before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility (fog, falling snow, etc.).

Note 5 – Magnetic Compass

A magnetic compass is not required if the boat is 8 m (26’3”) or less and you operate it within sight of navigation marks.

Note 6 – Radar Reflector

Radar reflectors are required for boats under 20 m (65’7”) and boats built of mostly non-metallic materials. A radar reflector is not required if:

  • the boat is used in limited traffic conditions, daylight and favourable environmental conditions, and where having a radar reflector is not essential to the boat’s safety; or
  • the small size of the boat or its operation away from radar navigation makes it impossible to install or use a radar reflector.
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