Canada is a maritime nation, with more coastline than any other country in the world. With approximately 12 million boaters navigating our waterways, recreational boating is a favourite pastime. Transport Canada continues to strengthen rules and regulations to keep Canadians safe and ensure our marine safety system remains among the best in the world.
Today, the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, announced amendments to the Small Vessel Regulations that will modernize Canada's pleasure craft licensing program and database.
The Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL) is a unique identification number for recreational boats that have one or more engines whose combined power is at least 10 horsepower- similar to a car's license plate. It allows emergency responders and law enforcement to quickly identify the owner of a boat, which improves response times in urgent situations and supports efforts to address unsafe or abandoned boats.
The following changes have taken effect as of December 31, 2025:
- new and renewed pleasure craft licences will only be valid for five years
- current lifetime licences will be gradually replaced with licences that must be renewed every five years.
- a $24 service fee will apply to issuing, renewing, transferring, or replacing a Pleasure Craft Licence. This fee will be updated annually for inflation
- licence holders must now update their information within 30 days of a change in their name or address, instead of the previous 90 days.
These changes will make boating safer, protect the environment, and ensure licence holders share the cost of administering the program fairly. This will also help the Government to tackle wrecked, hazardous, and abandoned vessels by keeping ownership information accurate and up to date.
