News release

Today, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its investigation report (M23C0143) into the collision between the passenger ferry Svanoy and a pleasure craft. The TSB has issued a safety concern highlighting that current requirements for training and certifying pleasure craft operators do not equip them with the depth of knowledge necessary for safe navigation in high-traffic waterways.

On the morning of July 2, 2023, after departing Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, Quebec (QC) in dense fog, the passenger ferry Svanoy, was proceeding toward L’Isle-aux-Coudres, Quebec, on the St. Lawrence River. While he was alone on the bridge in charge of navigating, the ferry’s master spotted the pleasure craft moments before the collision. When the ferry appeared from the fog, the pleasure craft operator attempted to avoid the ferry, but both vessels collided. All four occupants from the pleasure craft were rescued by the ferry crew and were transported to hospital. The pleasure craft sank and the Svanoy sustained minor damage.

The investigation found that both vessels were operating in an area of restricted visibility, and by the time they detected one another, neither the master nor the pleasure craft operator was able to take effective action to avoid a collision.

Although the pleasure craft operator had completed an accredited boating safety course and held a valid Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC), he had limited knowledge of signals, lookout, safe speed, collision avoidance, and navigation in restricted visibility. The vessel had a simple voyage plan, but the occupants were unfamiliar with the navigation area and were unaware of the presence of a ferry service. The operator therefore did not have sufficient knowledge to navigate safely in the foggy conditions at the time.

Under Transport Canada’s current regulations, all motorized pleasure craft operators must demonstrate their competency - most commonly by obtaining a PCOC. While the PCOC training syllabus covers key safety topics, the depth of content offered by commercial course providers has been found to be limited.

As such, the Board is concerned that current requirements for training and certifying pleasure craft operators do not provide them with the depth of knowledge necessary for safe navigation on high-traffic waterways.

Following an investigation in which a cargo vessel and a pleasure craft were at risk of collision in 2022 (M22P2098), the TSB conducted a national survey of marine pilots, which identified improved education and training for pleasure craft operators as the most important measure to address the widespread risk of collisions with commercial vessels.

See the investigation page for more information.