It appears Canadian boaters will eventually have to pay for pleasure craft licences (PCLs), but the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) is reminding its members that these possible fees have not yet been implemented.
The announcement follows reports of folks mistakenly utilizing third-party providers that offer services to process PCL applications for boaters, at a premium cost.
This may be helpful for larger fleets of boats or those who don’t wish to complete the application themselves. To avoid any charges, however, applications can be done directly through Transport Canada’s website, the OFAH stated.
A PCL is a document with a unique licence number for a pleasure craft and is required for boats with a 10-horsepower motor or greater.
Transport Canada’s original PCL proposal included a fee of $15 but, recently, was amended and increased to $24 as well as implementing a clause that would allow Transport Canada to increase the fee annually for inflation.
To read the OFAH’s feedback on Transport Canada’s PCL proposals, visit the Action here.
