Message From The Editor Boating Tragedy in British Columbia
Just last week, six people are reported to have drowned after a charter fishing boat sank off the coast of Richmond, British Columbia. The boat, carrying ten people, began taking on water near Roberts Bank after leaving Steveston on Sunday (28 June 2026). A passing couple in their sailboat put out a mayday call at about 11:45am local time, reporting several people in the water without life jackets. They rescued four people who were taken to the hospital but the other people remain unaccounted for and are presumed drowned. There was no sign of the boat which presumably sank.
The boating industry would certainly prefer that people be allowed the freedom and comfort of not being required to wear a lifejacket or PFD when boating, but this incident is clearly an example of why people should wear one. No one plans their "accident". Plus, you have to wonder how a vessel fishing in those big open waters, would not have their passengers wearing lifejackets and how did the boat capsize and sink so fast? In this edition of Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest, we also have a story from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and their call is for better boater training and more strict operator licensing. I think our whole industry needs to be better prepared for future regulation. (READ MORE)
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Like many Canadians, my boating licence has been sitting in my wallet ever since I obtained it more than 25 years ago. Although I’ve only boated occasionally, it still allows me to operate a high-speed vessel on Canada’s busiest waterways, without any requirement to indicate that my knowledge or skills remain current. READ MORE
C-MAP, a leader in digital marine cartography and cloud-based mapping, has announced coverage improvements for the Americas, delivering significant enhancements for recreational boaters and anglers across North America. As boaters prepare to make the most of the Canada Day holiday on the water, this latest release introduces high-resolution detail across key coastal and inland destinations. READ MORE
We learned from Boating Ontario about the news of Jim Biddle’s passing on June 16, 2026. Jim owned and operated Biddle’s Marine Services for more than 20 years. Jim was the devoted husband of Sandra, whom he met on a blind date more than 40 years ago. They married on September 9, 1989, and together built a life centred around family, adventure, hard work, and cherished memories. READ MORE
