beemer
Well-Known Member
I just attended the regional LMAC meeting (Local Marine Advisory Council) . and this was on the agenda . Heres the poop . The Coast Guard decided to lower the tonnage required to trigger this fee from 15 tonnes to 5 tonnes and under. There has been a great deal of backlash and even some Transport Canada officials have been telling small commercial guys not to pay the fee! Apparently many people have viewed the hokey invoicing as a scam and are refusing to pay.
keep it up ladies and gents , we can win this one!! Once again write your MP . This is a unfair "tax" on small businesses that is being imposed in a unfair manner (commercial fisherman don't pay??)
I posted a list of emails of your MPs a few pages back.
beemer
keep it up ladies and gents , we can win this one!! Once again write your MP . This is a unfair "tax" on small businesses that is being imposed in a unfair manner (commercial fisherman don't pay??)
I posted a list of emails of your MPs a few pages back.
beemer
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
Supposed to check the passenger box...for my boat I did that but my dad made the same mistake as you...so we just called them and asked them to change it then they resent the registration papers and we had them within a week. No big deal...be sure to change it to passenger though or else may get in hot water if stopped.
Fishing Guide
Active Member
Cheers All,
Ohhhh geeez...just when I thought I was going to have a peaceful Christmas. I have been reading the above with great interest. And, as a result, I have done some 'searching'. So far:
I have contacted a charter company on Vancouver Island who has paid this fee. They paid $25.00 to Thunder Bay Airport (who is on a three year term to collect these fees - and being paid quite well to do such). They requested and received their receipt from Kim Otway - the collections clerk for TBA - who said this was the first receipt she has issued and she has been there 5 years. And yes...I have this in writing. Something sounds fundamentally wrong there for a whole host of reasons. Think about it....
KO gave some information that is very difficult to believe and some of it actually contradicts the info given by CCG. We asked for written support and she was unable to provide such. In that case I become even more concerned and, as such, I have contacted CCG in Ottawa and am waiting for a reply.
Specifically I am asking for:
A) An understanding of the terms as utilized by CCG - most specifically the terms "fishing vessel" as well as "fleet rental boat". It seems that charter fishing vessels 'could' fit under either one. I taught honours high school English and, having several university degrees, nothing in the wording would indicate that we do not fit within that scope. However, when KO from TBA was asked, she vehemently opposed such and the reasoning for such was vague and she could not reference her remarks.
I contacted Transport Canada in Kelowna who is distancing themselves from this action. The clerk stated that they had been inundated with all sorts of questions and wishes everyone to know this is an action by Canada Coast Guard and has nothing to do with TC. Canada is the only entity that she knows that charges for this service - Only in Canada, Ehhh? Transport Canada brought this up at the CMAC meetings recently. The clerk went on to say that she was aware of very few who have paid this fee and questioned the ability of either the billing office or the CCG to either enforce or collect these fees.
I went to a government summary of an audit that was done on this program and the comments received. There was concern that this fee may be a fair request but that it should be applied against all boaters who use navigational aids. The problem is immediately apparent: the government has the contact information on commercial boats but almost all sports and recreational vessels - of any shape or form - are either unregistered or unable to be 'easily' traced. Hence the commercial sector becomes the deer in the headlight. This may be unfair but it is also understandable.
I have put significant thought into this 'fee'. In this day and age of 'user fees' one needs only look around at the proliferation of said fees and give consideration of the objective. I have no problem paying my fair share and it does not seem unreasonable that I contribute something towards something that I use on a 'almost' daily basis. Further, if this token fee is needed to keep CCG afloat, then I will do my part. It is also a legal fee authorized by the Government of Canada and, as such, I am not prepared to evade it - but I also have an ability to avoid most. I believe that the wording and legal intention is that any vessel under 10 metres and 15 tons hired out by the hour/day/term and for profit should pay only the $25.00 and this would cover my company (and most of the fishing charter vessels on the BC coast). I am proceeding in obtaining written clarity from CCG to determine the status of charter fishing vessels in BC.
I will keep you posted.
'Merry Christmas'
Ohhhh geeez...just when I thought I was going to have a peaceful Christmas. I have been reading the above with great interest. And, as a result, I have done some 'searching'. So far:
I have contacted a charter company on Vancouver Island who has paid this fee. They paid $25.00 to Thunder Bay Airport (who is on a three year term to collect these fees - and being paid quite well to do such). They requested and received their receipt from Kim Otway - the collections clerk for TBA - who said this was the first receipt she has issued and she has been there 5 years. And yes...I have this in writing. Something sounds fundamentally wrong there for a whole host of reasons. Think about it....
KO gave some information that is very difficult to believe and some of it actually contradicts the info given by CCG. We asked for written support and she was unable to provide such. In that case I become even more concerned and, as such, I have contacted CCG in Ottawa and am waiting for a reply.
Specifically I am asking for:
A) An understanding of the terms as utilized by CCG - most specifically the terms "fishing vessel" as well as "fleet rental boat". It seems that charter fishing vessels 'could' fit under either one. I taught honours high school English and, having several university degrees, nothing in the wording would indicate that we do not fit within that scope. However, when KO from TBA was asked, she vehemently opposed such and the reasoning for such was vague and she could not reference her remarks.
I contacted Transport Canada in Kelowna who is distancing themselves from this action. The clerk stated that they had been inundated with all sorts of questions and wishes everyone to know this is an action by Canada Coast Guard and has nothing to do with TC. Canada is the only entity that she knows that charges for this service - Only in Canada, Ehhh? Transport Canada brought this up at the CMAC meetings recently. The clerk went on to say that she was aware of very few who have paid this fee and questioned the ability of either the billing office or the CCG to either enforce or collect these fees.
I went to a government summary of an audit that was done on this program and the comments received. There was concern that this fee may be a fair request but that it should be applied against all boaters who use navigational aids. The problem is immediately apparent: the government has the contact information on commercial boats but almost all sports and recreational vessels - of any shape or form - are either unregistered or unable to be 'easily' traced. Hence the commercial sector becomes the deer in the headlight. This may be unfair but it is also understandable.
I have put significant thought into this 'fee'. In this day and age of 'user fees' one needs only look around at the proliferation of said fees and give consideration of the objective. I have no problem paying my fair share and it does not seem unreasonable that I contribute something towards something that I use on a 'almost' daily basis. Further, if this token fee is needed to keep CCG afloat, then I will do my part. It is also a legal fee authorized by the Government of Canada and, as such, I am not prepared to evade it - but I also have an ability to avoid most. I believe that the wording and legal intention is that any vessel under 10 metres and 15 tons hired out by the hour/day/term and for profit should pay only the $25.00 and this would cover my company (and most of the fishing charter vessels on the BC coast). I am proceeding in obtaining written clarity from CCG to determine the status of charter fishing vessels in BC.
I will keep you posted.
'Merry Christmas'
I will be interested to see what comes back. I to don't mind paying my share but only MY share not the commercial fishers too. These guys operate coast wide over thousands of square miles of ocean. Are glued to their weather info as they are vulnerable when offshore. You, I and most fishing charter boats operate within a 20 mile zone and return to port each day before dark. In Sooke the only substantial navigation aid left is Sheringham Light. It has gone from a fully manned lighthouse with a powerful light and foghorn, to an automated light and foghorn, to a light and no foghorn, to a light bulb that can't be much more than what you put on a Christmas tree to now where it will be dismantled. So what services do I get for my $224.00? Big Wave Dave gives me the best weather and current water conditions online for free. I could delete the weather channels from my VHF and not miss them at all.
hooktender68
Well-Known Member
I have not been invoiced for this. If I DO...I will consider calling for $224 worth of tows! Maybe get a tow offshore one morning! lol
