Ontario Provincial Police say dozens of charges were laid during a Canada Day holiday enforcement campaign focused on keeping boaters safe across Central Ontario waterways.
Members of the OPP Snowmobile, All-Terrain Vehicle and Vessel Enforcement Unit conducted marine patrols from July 1 to July 5 on several lakes, including Fawn Lake, Gloucester Pool, Lake Muskoka, Lake Joseph, Redstone Lake, Haliburton Lake and Georgian Bay.
Working alongside local OPP detachments, officers laid 39 charges and issued 32 warnings during the five-day initiative.
The most common offences involved failing to have a personal flotation device or lifejacket, with 11 charges issued, while 14 charges involved open alcohol on a vessel. Four additional charges were laid for operating a vessel with open alcohol.
Other offences included towing without a required spotter, failing to transfer vessel registration, safety equipment violations and operating a personal watercraft without meeting age requirements.
During the patrols, officers stopped a vessel towing family members, including youth, without a designated spotter onboard. Police say further investigation determined the operator had been consuming alcohol while operating the vessel and had open alcohol accessible on the boat.
The operator underwent an Approved Screening Device test, which resulted in an “Alert” reading. The individual’s Ontario driver’s licence was suspended for seven days, and multiple charges were laid under the Canada Shipping Act and Liquor Licence and Control Act.
The OPP is reminding boaters that alcohol-related offences and safety requirements apply on the water just as they do on the road. Police say wearing a lifejacket, carrying required safety equipment and planning for a safe ride home remain essential parts of responsible boating.
