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BARRHEAD - A woman boating on Thunder Lake this summer received a sizeable fine after not carrying enough personal floatation devices for all her passengers.
Justice Bruce Garriock fined Karie Danielle Furlong $200 for a violation under the Canadian Safety Act (CSA) for failing to provide a floatation device for everyone on board a pleasure craft after she pleaded guilty to the charge on Dec. 18 in Barrhead Court of Justice.
Furlong also received a subsequent $100 for each occupant of the watercraft, bringing her total obligation to $700.
The Crown also withdrew two additional CSA charges for not having enough lifejackets for everyone on board the vessel.
Federal Crown prosecutor Milena Jusza said that on Sept. 1, 2024, a fish and wildlife officer observed a blue and white pleasure craft operating on Thunder Lake and subsequently conducted a compliance check when it returned to shore.
She added that the vessel's operator produced his pleasure craft card, while Furlong, an occupant and co-owner of the boat with the operator, could not produce a personal floatation device or life jacket for every person on board.
"Six personal flotation devices were produced, and 11 occupants were on board the vessel," Jusza said, adding that the fish and wildlife officer also observed that the craft did not have the required pleasure craft number identifiers on its hull.
She added that Furlong also couldn't produce a licence for the vessel, and some safety equipment was missing, such as the required visual signals or a watertight flashlight.
"The goal of the regulations is to keep boaters and users of the water safe," Jusza said. "Conditions on the water can change quickly, and having the proper number of lifejackets on board is for the boaters' own safety."
Duty counsel Richard Forbes noted his client understands the importance of following the boating safety regulations and wants to take full responsibility for her actions, so she pleaded guilty as soon as possible.
Garriock also sentenced Noah Carter Schouten to a $200 fine for not having enough personal floatation devices on board a watercraft in another Sept. 1 incident on Thunder Lake.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
