Blood Alcohol Concentration Limits while Boating in Canada
Blood Alcohol Concentration Limits while Boating in Canada
Canada’s laws prohibit anyone from operating a pleasure craft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The Criminal Code of Canada states that anyone who operates a pleasure craft, whether or not it is in motion, commits an offence if:
- The person’s ability to operate the boat is impaired due to alcohol, drugs, or any combination of alcohol and drugs or…
- The alcohol concentration in the person’s blood exceeds 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood.
Because you can drink faster than your system can burn off the alcohol, there is an increasing level of alcohol in your blood. This level is referred to as Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).
The Criminal Code of Canada establishes the following penalties for operating while impaired.
- Those convicted for the first time will be fined at least $1,000 and prohibited from operating a vessel for up to three years.
- For a second offence, the person will be imprisoned for at least 30 days and prohibited from operating a vessel for not less than two years and up to five years.
- For each subsequent offence, the person will be imprisoned for at least 120 days and prohibited from operating a vessel for at least three years.
- Anyone who operates a vessel while prohibited from doing so may be imprisoned for up to five years.
