Canada

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Places : Canada

Contents

[edit] Paddling Destinations:

[edit] Clubs:

[edit] About Canada

Almost all of Canada is bear country. See the notes on individual provinces above to see which types are found locally.

Canada uses the metric system.

  • Highway and traffic signs indicate speeds in kilometers per hour (kph), distances in kilometers.
  • Temperatures are indicated in degrees Celcius.
  • Barometric pressure is given in kiloPascals (kPa), though marine forecasts may be in millibars (mb: 1 kPa = 10 mb).
  • Wind speeds in kph (marine forecasts may give knots - always specified).
  • Wave heights are indicated in meters.

Older charts and topographic maps are still available in Imperial units, but many have been updated to metric. Make sure you check the units on the chart/map when using it.

[edit] Canadian Laws

[edit] Boating regulations

The Canadian Coast Guard (CG) sets the regulations governing boating and minimum equipment requirements for kayakers in Canada. These laws are enforced by the CG and by local and regional police departments. These regulations can be found at: http://www.tc.gc.ca/BoatingSafety/menu.htm. Note that a PFD is a requirement and it must be approved. If you are bringing your PFD from another country, it must be approved for use in your home country. Take note of the minimum equipment list for paddling in Canada. These laws are enforced and fines can be steep.

[edit] Traffic laws

Traffic laws are governed by the provinces and vary slightly from one to the other.

[edit] Radio regulations

Marine VHF radio operators must have a license in Canada - see Licensing requirement.

As in the USA, FRS and GMRS radios are very popular with outdoor recreationalists in Canada, including kayakers. But radios made for the US market transmit at up to 5 watts on the GMRS channels. The maximum wattage permitted on these channels in Canada is 2 watts. So if you’re using these radios in Canada, you need to transmit on the FRS channels only, where the wattage is the same for both countries.

[edit] Restricted weapons

Handguns are restricted weapons in Canada. Private citizens can own them, but they cannot routinely carry them around loaded and on their person the way you can in the US. The “carry permit” issued by your Municipal or State government does NOT apply in Canada: It’s not like a driver’s license that is accepted on either side of the border. So do yourself a favour: Leave the handgun at home. This will save you from possibly being turned back at the border or facing criminal charges in Canada. You won’t need a handgun here anyway: They’re useless against bears, so there’s no point in taking up space in your kayak with one. And you’re not likely to need it against people. Canadian are friendly and the murder rate is lower than the US rate (possibly because we don’t all carry handguns:-)

Pepper spray, including Mace and full-strength bear spray, is considered a lethal weapon in Canada. If you attempt to bring it into Canada, it will be confiscated. The only bear spray that can be used in Canada is that which is much lower in capsaicin content and must be purchased in Canada.

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