Requirement to Render Assistance – Pleasure Craft

Under the Canada Shipping Act 2001, every pleasure craft operator must render assistance, in so far as the operator can do so without serious danger to their own craft or the persons on board, to every person found at sea and in danger of being lost. In fact, under the Criminal Code of Canada, section 252 (1). Operators failing to stop and/or offer assistance to those in danger or distress are guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years.

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, section 252(1) – every person who has care, charge or control of a vessel (ie. operator) that is involved in an accident with another person and/or vessel has an obligation to stop and offer assistance. Those who fail to stop and render assistance are guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment of not more than five years.