Ottawa Scales Back “Canoe Registry”
Friday, October 21, 2005 at 16:07
A provincial spokesman for outfitters says he is breathing easier these days regarding the issue of proposed federal boating regulations.
Hal Stupenikoff of the Saskatchewan Outfitters Association says officials with Transport Canada have indicated outfitters will not have to send their guides away for training or submit all their watercraft to visual inspections, as initially proposed.
However, he says two areas the department may not waffle on concern proposed rules requiring boats to have running lights and two-way radios.
Stupenikoff says his group has submitted some counterproposals to the government about the ideas and are now waiting for a response.
He adds running lights would be difficult for most craft, as few of them have full-length electrical systems.
He says they have informed Transport Canada of that fact, and suggested the “buddy system” is more wieldy than two-way radios.