NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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Officers from the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) marine unit remind boaters that fall is a really good time to check the condition of all life jackets on your vessel. A recent vessel check by officers resulted in a charge for the operator as the worn inflatable life jacket was found to be unclassified and deemed unusable. Any life jacket that is not certified by Transport Canada or is in a physical state of disrepair will not be considered a functional life jacket by the inspecting officers. Please see the attached Canadian Safe Boating Council guide (picture 3) to inflatable life jacket use.
OPP marine officers during the Oct. 1-17, 2021 time period checked 75 vessels over their 83 hours of patrol time and also responded to seven calls for service while on the waterways here in North Simcoe. One operator was cited for having insufficient life jackets and another was cited for a offence under the Canada Shipping Act. Six operators were also warned for various violations of the Canada Shipping Act and one operator was administered a screening device test for alcohol consumption and passed.
Officers were able to bolster their presence on the water during this time by doing joint patrols with members of Parks Canada Park Service.
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