The Federal small vessel reporting program is set to be discussed by Municipality of Chatham-Kent Council.
Wallaceburg Councillor Carmen McGregor entered a notice of motion at the virtual meeting on Monday, May 9, 2022.
“Summer is quickly approaching and boating season will soon be underway,” McGregor said in her notice of motion.
“The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has recently made changes to the small vessel reporting program including the available reporting sites. The CBSA has reduced the number of small vessel reporting sites from over 400 pre-pandemic, to a new low number of 86 with the closest sites to Chatham-Kent located in Sarnia (Sarnia Bay Marina) and Windsor (Lakeview Park Marina).”
McGregor said all communities’ water-related festival’s and events that attract international tourism, boaters and marinas that access the shores of the Great Lakes will be affected by a reduction in tourism dollars caused by the “unrealistic distance between reporting sites and the increased environmental impact
“Including the cost of fuel to travel via reporting sites and destinations,” McGregor said.
The issue was recently brought up in the House of Commons by Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MP Lianne Rood:
The Liberal restrictions on Marine Points of Entry are ridiculous! Forcing people to make a 76km round trip instead of just cross an 800-meter-wide river will punish small businesses in Mitchell’s Bay, Wallaceburg, and Port Lambton.
Will the Liberals listen to #CommonSense? pic.twitter.com/r5YjFVwUkX
— Lianne Rood (@Lianne_Rood) May 6, 2022
In response to COVID-19, CBSA officials say they have “temporarily suspended its services” at many small vessel reporting sites.
“Clients should consult the list of open designated marine reporting sites to ensure that services are available, either in person or via telephone reporting,” CBSA officials said in a media release.
For boats carrying fewer than 30 passengers, CBSA officials say there are two ways to report in order to enter Canada:
– Report directly in-person at one of the open designated marine reporting sites, staffed by the CBSA; or,
– Report to the CBSA’s Telephone Reporting Centre. Follow the instructions posted at a telephone reporting site and request clearance to enter Canada. Only the operator may leave the boat to place the call. Everyone else must remain onboard until the CBSA authorizes entry.
“The CBSA and its law enforcement partners patrol Canada’s coasts and inland waterways and have the authority to stop any boat that has entered Canadian waters,” CBSA officials say.
“Failure to report to the CBSA, even if it is to refuel, may result in detention, seizure or forfeiture of your boat and/or monetary penalties. The minimum fine for failing to report to the CBSA upon entry to Canada is $1,000.
CBSA officials added: “Use ArriveCAN. All travellers arriving in Canada by boat must submit their mandatory information including their proof of vaccination and suitable quarantine plan in ArriveCAN before or when entering at a marine port of entry.”
In her motion, McGregor is asking the community attraction and promotion division in Chatham-Kent to communicate with the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (MHSTC), the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), the Regional Tourism Organization (RTOI) and any Municipal counterparts or known organizations that may be affected by the current changes being imposed by the Federal Government.
McGregor is asking staff to report back to Council at the June 6, 2022 meeting with any information, recommendations and/or actions being taken to lobby the Federal Government to reverse this decision.
McGregor is also requesting that the Mayor expedite a resolution on behalf of Council stating the concerns and effect this decision will have upon communities and that the resolution ask for support in working together to request an immediate reversal of the Federal Government and the Canadian Border Services Agency decision.
Lastly, McGregor is asking this resolution be shared with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, all Municipalities, all MPP’s, MP’s and the Federal Ministry responsible for Tourism within Canada.
“And that this resolution ask each recipient to share their concerns with the Federation of Municipalities of Canada Association (FMCA) and the Ministry of the Federal Government responsible for Tourism,” McGregor said.
The motion is set to be on the Council agenda for their Monday, May 30, 2022 meeting.
