More changes for boat license testing

News Release

The general public and pleasure boaters had expressed concern that anyone of any age could operate a powered watercraft without having any prior boating experience and so the Operator Competency Program and the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC, commonly referred to as a boating licence) was launched in 1999.
Common misconceptions about this law are that children must be 16 years old to get certified and that seniors over 65 years don’t require the card. This law applies to boaters of all ages; there are no age exemptions or minimum age to get certified. Others think that they don’t need the card if their motor is less than 10 horsepower, but in fact it’s needed to operate any size motor, even an electric motor on a canoe, for example.
On September 15, 2009 this program completed its ten-year phase-in period and is now law for all recreational boat operators in Canada.
New Requirements Coming into Effect April 15, 2011:
The Operator Competency test will be increasing from 36 to 50 questions
The Internet safe boating test will also change to a required study format where students will need to spend a minimum of 3 hours studying online before taking the final 50 question test
BoaterExam.com® along with AAA Boating Safety Standards, ASM Safe Boating, The Safe Boater Training Program, and Forensic & Nautical Consultants of Canada (FNCC) Inc. are leaders in boater education across Canada and are Transport Canada accredited course providers.