CSBC NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2024 | |
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Dear Boating Friends,
"Life Jackets Save Lives." This simple statement carries immense importance, and I was reminded of this recently. On a drive home after visiting my family in rural Quebec, we stopped at a picnic area along a country highway. It was a tiny, unassuming lake with no other access than the picnic area. But it had a very important message… "Life Jackets Save Lives." This was not a new sign by any means, it was weathered and looked as though it had been there for decades. The sign was straightforward and to the point, with no logos, not even a municipality name, just the essential message that continues to stand the test of time. I had to take a picture to capture it.
This season let's all remember the critical role life jackets play in keeping us safe. It's a small action that can have a significant impact.
Thank you for taking some time to read our newsletter and as you get back on your favourite body of water this year, please remember that your ongoing support for the Canadian Safe Boating Council is deeply appreciated. Because of you, we have some exciting projects coming up, and we can't wait to share them with you.
I wanted to keep this issue’s message short so you can quickly get back to enjoying our beautiful waterways and I hope you're all making the most of your time on the water.
Wishing you safe and enjoyable boating adventures!
Mike Dean
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CSBC Symposium, Whistler, B.C. | |
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The CSBC Symposium 2024 is fast approaching! It will be held from Tuesday October 1 to Thursday October 3 at the Hilton Whistler Resort, B.C. Don’t delay – register and book your hotel room today! Note that the cut-off for booking the special CSBC room rate at the Whistler Hilton is August 25!
The day after the Symposium Presenting Sponsor Mustang Survival is also offering a free Open House at their Burnaby HQ and the Waterlife Studio and Innovation Centre. Go to the CSBC website to register for the Symposium, book your room and register for the Mustang Open House 2024 Symposium Details (csbc.ca). We’re looking forward to seeing you!
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Many Partners, One Goal
CSBC 2024 SYMPOSIUM
Tuesday, October 1 – Thursday, October 3, 2024
Hilton Whistler Resort, Whistler, BC
Presenting sponsor: Mustang Survival
Program highlights – you won’t want to miss!
- Boating BC: boating safety issues with a West Coast flavour
- Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht: new frontiers in cold water immersion research and education from renowned “Professor Popsicle”
- What’s happening in International boating safety: Baz Kirk, Maritime New Zealand, U.S. National Safe Boating Council, U.S. Coast Guard
- Canadian Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Marine SAR and First Nations Communities: working together to save lives on the water
- Vancouver Fraser Port Authority: the safety challenges of highly congested shared waterways
- Transport Canada: the outlook on lifejacket wear regulations and more
- Safety on B.C. waters: it takes a community: RCMP West Coast Marine Section, Jericho Sailing Centre
- What’s new from the Canadian Safe Boating Council: research, programs, projects, and tools to help bring the community together and keep Canadian boaters safe
- And the ever-popular Coffee and Challenges session: explore with our speakers and Symposium delegates – what are the boating safety challenges? What are the solutions? And most importantly, how can we work together for change?
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Tuesday, October 1
Evening reception, hosted by Boating BC
Wednesday, October 2
Morning and afternoon speaker presentations, discussions, and networking
Breakfast and lunch included
Networking dinner on your own
Hospitality suite
Thursday, October 3
Morning and early afternoon speaker presentations, discussions, and networking
Breakfast and lunch included
Mid-afternoon: visit to Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre
Evening reception: CSBC Volunteer Recognition Awards and CSBC Long-term Supporters Awards
Closing Banquet
Hospitality Suite
Friday, October 4
Late morning: Open House hosted by Mustang Survival at their Burnaby HQ and Waterlife Studio and Innovation Centre
Free for Symposium delegates and Cold Water Workshop participants
Separate registration is required.
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Registration Open: In-Person Cold Water Workshops | |
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Date: September 23 & 24, 2024
Location: Victoria International Marina, 1 Cooperage Place, Victoria, BC
Cost: $400
Date: September 26 & 27, 2024
Location: Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Main St. Dock at the foot of Main St., Vancouver, BC
Cost: $400
Instruction will be in English. Mornings will be spent in class while afternoons will be dockside. Cold Water Workshop topics include: Mechanisms of Heat Loss, Thermal Protection Realities, Extraction Techniques, Triage of Hypothermic Victims, Re-Warming, Packaging, Transport and more.
The Instructors’ Course will provide the tools you need to successfully teach first responders the proper rescue and re-warming techniques that are necessary to hope save lives. For either of the in-person workshops, the participants are encouraged to bring their own boats, if desired, to make the demonstration even more effective. Cold Water Workshops (csbc.ca)
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CSBC Welcomes Mustang Survival as New Presenting Sponsor | |
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The Canadian Safe Boating Council is pleased to welcome aboard Mustang Survival as a presenting sponsor. This partnership, solidified through a Memorandum of Understanding, spans a three-year term and spotlights a shared commitment to promoting safe and responsible boating in Canada. In 2024, Mustang Survival will be a Platinum-level sponsor of the CSBC’s annual symposium Many Partners, One Goal, to be held in Whistler, BC, from October 1-3. Additionally, Mustang Survival will support CSBC initiatives with its high-quality product line.
"Partnering with the Canadian Safe Boating Council is a natural fit for us. Our purpose is protecting life on the water, which perfectly aligns with the CSBC's mission,” says Kenny Ballard, President of Mustang Survival. “Our staff is anticipating attending the upcoming symposium in Whistler and welcoming guests to our Waterlife Studio following the symposium when we'll showcase our innovations. We're thrilled to collaborate with the CSBC and look forward to making a significant impact together."
“Mustang Survival has been a long-term and highly valued CSBC member and supporter,” says Mike Dean, CSBC Chair. “Now as a presenting sponsor, we are excited about the significant resources and opportunities they bring to the table. We are honoured that Mustang Survival has placed its trust in us. Their belief in our mission and vision means a great deal.”
The Many Partners, One Goal symposium program will feature renowned hypothermia expert Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, who will also conduct two in-person Cold Water Immersion workshops in Victoria and Vancouver before the symposium. These workshops are open to all interested parties, with details on registration available on the CSBC website. https://csbc.ca/en/events/cold-water-workshop
Mustang Survival will host an Open House for Cold Water workshop participants and all symposium delegates at their Burnaby, BC HQ and the Waterlife Studio and Innovation Centre on the morning of Friday, October 4th. Pre-registration is required, and details are posted on the CSBC website: https://csbc.ca/en/events/annual-symposium/symposium-details.
This event will offer attendees a unique opportunity to view the factory floor in full operation. Technical engineers will be available to demonstrate testing procedures of flotation and dry suits in the pool and lab. Watch the Behind the Seahorse video for an insider look at the innovative processes that make Mustang Survival unique: https://youtu.be/wTIppXSaOZI?si=B_aEzeN04FfwNS0n.
The CSBC welcomes Mustang Survival’s support of the 2024 Symposium and other programs and looks forward to working together to help Canadians stay safe on the water.
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Through a generous donation from Stearns Canada / Newell Co. in June this year, the Canadian Safe Boating Council was able to facilitate the distribution of over 700 lifejackets to remote and northern communities, in which boats are an essential part of daily living. This effort was supported by the CSBC’s key long-term partners the Canadian Coast Guard, 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group and the Lifesaving Society of Ontario. The lifejackets will be used to help save lives in these communities, where the local costs of a lifejacket and other lifesaving equipment are high, and supplies are limited.
From research we know that wearing lifejackets saves lives; in approximately 85% of boating fatalities in Canada, boaters were not wearing their lifejackets. In Northern communities, wearing a lifejacket is even more important because there is a greater risk of cold water shock and rescue resources are sparse. Thank you to all involved in making this donation happen!
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Consultations on Canadian Coast Guard Long-Term Strategy | |
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The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is developing a Long-Term Strategy, which will articulate priorities to 2050 and beyond. It is recognized that the marine landscape is evolving as a result of a number of factors including: the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, the digitalization of services, the impacts of climate change, international relations, the renewal of the CCG fleet, a changing workforce, and growing interests in the Arctic. As part of developing a Long-Term Strategy, CCG is engaging partners and stakeholders on the future of CCG programs and services.
CCG is soliciting feedback on the Canadian Coast Guard’s Long-Term Strategy Discussion Paper, which outlines goals and key actions across four strategic pillars: Services, People, Assets, and Governance. Comments should be submitted at the above link by September 13, 2024.
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Transport Canada Consultations on VORR and Anchoring
Text source: Transport Canada
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Transport Canada (TC) held two consultations in Fall 2023. The first consultation focused on modernizing the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulation (VORR), and the second consultation sought feedback on ways to address issues identified with long-term anchoring of vessels.
A “What We Heard” report has been prepared for each consultation and can be found online at Modernization of the VORR and Long-Term Anchoring.
TC intends to pre-publish proposed changes to the VORR in response to consultation feedback in the Canada Gazette, Part I, targeted for the second half of 2024, followed by a 75-day consultation.
Regarding long-term anchoring, TC is targeting a second Let's Talk Transportation consultation on this issue in summer 2024. TC wants to hear more from stakeholders about setting anchoring limits for vessels on Canadian waterways. For more information on the consultations, visit the Let’s Talk Transportation webpage.
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IMRF 100th Anniversary
Text source: IMRF
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The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF), the world’s leading non-governmental organisation for the development and improvement of maritime search and rescue (SAR) capacity and operational effectiveness, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Founded as the International Lifeboat Federation at the first-ever International Lifeboat Conference in London in 1924, the IMRF has evolved to become the world’s leading charity that focuses on the development and improvement of global maritime SAR capacity in order to further reduce loss of life at sea.
The IMRF brings together the world's leading maritime SAR organisations from around the world to provide a critical forum for the development of some of the biggest issues impacting maritime SAR operations, including vessel design and operation, lifesaving equipment and training, and personnel safety.
Congratulations to the IMRF!
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Haven't renewed your CSBC membership yet? It would be great to have you on board! Go to Membership (csbc.ca)
The Fall 2024 National CMAC meeting will take place in person only from Wednesday November 13 – Friday November 15, 2024. Registration will open in the coming months and details will be added to the Transport Canada CMAC Webpage.
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