Boating season is finally here, but with that comes the needed safety information.

May 19th until the 25th is Safe Boating Awareness Week in Canada.

Ian Gilson, the Director of the council says, "We have had 100 plus boating-related fatalities across Canada each year, last year there was 92, we're wanting to make sure we trend downwards and reduce those fatalities because the tragic part about it is they are preventable."

The council has five tips to make sure you are safe on the water:

  1. The Canadian Safe Boating Council Wear a PFD or Lifejacket
  2. Don’t Drink & Boat (this includes recreational drugs or prescription narcotics)
  3. Take a Boating Course
  4. Be Prepared, Both You and Your Vessel
  5. Be Wary of the Dangers of Cold Water Immersion

The council wants to remind all boaters it's not just having the required number of life jackets, it's wearing them!