Member Jason Bridge was kind enough to bring this information to our attention.
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| Hello all: Transport Canada (TC) has recently stated that they will no longer provide financial support to CANBOAT (new tagline for cps-ecp). This means no more flare return days across Canada and no more FLAREX at CFB Trenton Yacht Club, due to the cost of returning flares to CIL-ORION in Montreal. Flares were sent back to Montreal under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act.. I have attached two articles I wrote a few years ago expressing concern for the delay of TC approval for the eVDSD flare which was already approved by the USCG some years ago. There are some interesting statistics, assumed and actual, regarding the potential number of incendiary marine flares in Canada and the safety and environmental concerns with incendiary marine flares. Flare return days across Canada were an opportunity for boaters to return their expired flares for new ones as well as listen to talks or see videos on the correct use and dangers of flares. These were sponsored by CPS-ECP (now CANBOAT) across Canada. Unique to this area (Bay of Quinte), the three local CPS Squadrons provided a FLAREX event (thanks to 8 Wing and CFB Trenton Yacht Club) allowing boaters to dispose of their expired flares as well as to be able to actually live fire flares, to be able to see the potential dangers and how to properly use incendiary flares before an emergency ocurred..Disposal transportation of each of these events was in the order of $3,000 to $4,000 per event. That cost recovery ability has now been cancelled by Transport Canada for whatever reason. It is difficult to understand how TC can force people to have these flares and then turn their backs on any kind of disposal method. What can we do about it? 1. I would encourage all of you to invest in an eVDSD flare along with a minimum of smoke flares (at least one and you have all seen from our FLAREX events how well smoke flares can be seen during the day. (Carriage requirements as described in the attached article.) 2. Contact your local MP in Ottawa to indicate the potential huge environmental and safety issues associated with the recent decision by Transport Canada, 3. Contact other boaters you may know to let them know of these safety and environmental concerns to hopefully exert pressure on Transport Canada, 4. Any suggestions…… please advance them. https://mcusercontent.com/3221b1aafd8e53cfd6a88393d/files/cbb951d5-cba8-22c4-a3c8-1c418784318f/FLARE_STORY_1.01.pdf https://mcusercontent.com/3221b1aafd8e53cfd6a88393d/files/bbcad4f3-6090-5f2c-4bed-5c200d09cb75/Transport_Canada_approves_Electronic_Visual_Distress_Signal_Devices.02.pdf John Brewster RCAF Trenton Squadron Commander/Education Officer Quinte District Education Officer Cheers, Brad Power Email Co-ord cfbtyc.bulk.email@gmail.com 613-922-1248 |