Laval is a city in Quebec, Canada, and the largest suburb of Montreal. In the north, the Rivière des Mille Îles (River of a Thousand Islands) separates Laval from the Mainland, and in the south, the Rivière des Prairies (River of the Prairies or The Black River) separates it from the Island of Montreal. The area has countless rivers, canals and lochs to explore, and there are various marinas, boat ramps and other boating amenities. Many non-boaters come from all around to experience Laval by guided canoes in the canals, riverboats, river cruises, and even yacht holidays. The area is particularly appealing to boaters who can explore all of these great opportunities on their own.
In order to do that, however, you will need to rent from a charter or bring your own boat, and in each case, you are going to need a boating license as required by Canada law. The authorities will accept licenses from anywhere in Canada as well as other governments, such as US boating licenses. If you require a boating license, then the easiest way to acquire one is to take the exam online. They mail the permanent license to you, and it generally arrives within a month. If you do not have that much time before your Laval trip, you can schedule the exam in Laval. They will still mail the permanent card to you, but they also give you a temporary license that provides full boating rights.
You only pay for your Boating License Exam once. If you don’t pass, you can try the exam again at no additional charge.
ASM Safe Safe Boating encourages boaters in all provinces to take a Transport Canada Accredited course to obtain the Canadian Boating License (officially known as a Pleasure Craft Operator Card). ASM Safe Boating, through its partnership with BoaterExam.com, offers Transport Canada accredited courses and certification for the Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
If you operate a boat, you have to have a boater license. It’s the law. Without a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, or boat operators license, you’re automatically subject to a $250 fine.