Boating Safety Contribution Program

Recreational Boating Safety component 2017-2018 funding recipients

University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)

The University of British Columbia (UBC) will receive $920,745 for a 3-year project. UBC plans to develop a social marketing campaign and conduct research related to awareness, attitudes and behaviours among recreational boaters in British Columbia.

The Project is divided into three phases:

Phase 1 (Preparation) – a report will be generated about recreational boating injuries in BC, including the review of existing reports, lessons learned from prior project evaluations, market research and consultations with experts in the field. Based on these findings, UBC will develop a social marketing campaign to promote safe boating practices and behaviours. The plan will be tested via a series of focus groups across BC’s five health authorities, and refined accordingly. Prior to launch, formal baseline measurements will be taken to evaluate the success of the campaign.

Phase 2 (Implementation) – the campaign will be launched through television, newspapers, blogs, radio, ambient signage and other marketing approaches. The campaign activities will be monitored, assessed and measured on an on-going basis.

Phase 3 (Optimization) – public response will be tracked and the campaign will be modified accordingly. UBC will generate a final report quantifying the campaign’s impacts. Results will be shared with other jurisdictions to promote best practices.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada (Oakville, ON)

Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), a not-for-profit, non-government organization, will receive $175,777 for a 3-year national project. MADD Canada is proposing to install approximately 425 signs across Canada between 2017 and 2019 that will advise Canadians to contact 911 if they notice drinking-and-boating activity.

MADD Canada will also update, reprint and distribute their safe boating brochure and post cards each year. In year 3, they will develop a survey and distribute questionnaires to boaters across Canada that will collect data about boaters’ attitudes and behaviours toward impaired boating and the impact of the signs. The results will provide guidance on how to maximize the impact of education & outreach materials and drive behavioural and attitudinal change with respect to impaired boating.

Also in year 3, they will produce new English and French safe boating television public service announcements (PSAs) with an emphasis on impaired boating.

Massawippi Water Protection Association (North Hatley, QC)

The Massawippi Water Protection Association, a not-for-profit, non-government organization, will receive $149,156 for a 3-year local project. The project aims to instill a sense of self-responsibility and management for boating safety-related regulations and practices, as well as respect for the environment of the Massawippi Lake and its tributaries.

To achieve this, they will conduct research to identify various characteristics of the lake, including hazards, dangers, boating traffic patterns, and high-risk areas, in order to better understand the local boating environment. They will also develop signage and install markers in certain areas of the lake to improve boating safety.

The Association will hire summer students to carry out public presentations, demonstrations and to distribute promotional materials at schools, community events, boat launches and through safety patrols on water.

They will develop communication materials such as posters, pamphlets, promotional items, advertisements and social media messaging. They will also develop a boating safety training program in collaboration with the local Servite College.