Montreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest in Quebec, its home province. It is a city surrounded by water: Lac des Deux Montagnes (Lake of Two Mountains) in the west, Lake Saint-Louis in the southwest, the Rivière des Prairies (River of the Prairies or The Black River) in the north, and the St. Lawrence River in the south. To boaters, Montreal is famous for its marinas, boat ramps, lakes, rivers, canals, lochs and more. In fact, many of Montreal’s best recreational activities take place on the water: canoes in the canals, sailing on the lakes, all manner of water vessels on the rivers, including riverboats that offer sightseeing tours, dining, gambling and other activities.
In Montreal, all of Quebec, and the rest of Canada for that matter, you need a boating license in order to helm a motorized boat. Otherwise, the charters will not rent to you, and the local authorities will fine you. The boating license laws are strict but not difficult to comply with. Montreal accepts boating licenses from anywhere within Canada and other areas, such as the US. If you do not have a license, you can take the exam online. The fee covers retests and licensing, and after passing, they mail the license to you. It should arrive within the month. If you do not have enough time, the alternative is to schedule a test in Montreal, and then you can take it when you arrive.
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.
