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Planning a fishing trip in Ontario? If you plan on using a motorized boat, you’ll need to bring along both your boating and fishing licenses.
Let us walk you through the process of obtaining these federal and provincial licenses, so that you can enjoy Ontario’s beautiful waterways legally as soon as the season opens.
First, your boating proof of competency. Anyone operating a motorized boat in Ontario needs a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC), widely referred to a boating license. It’s the law.
While it might seem like a simple administrative task, the RCMP, provincial and municipal police forces and other authorities enforce this legal requirement (overseen by Transport Canada), and getting caught without a licence can result in significant fines.
Obtaining your boating licence is a simple, three-step process. First, you need to take a Transport Canada-approved boater safety course, such as the one offered by Drive A Boat Canada.
Next you need to pass an online boating safety test. Drive A Boat Canada offers unlimited free retries for this multiple-choice, open-book exam!
Once you pass, you’ll gain immediate access to a temporary card, allowing you to go boating right away. Your lifetime Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) will be mailed to you.
All three steps cost a combined total of $59.95 (with group discounts available).
Your PCOC, or boating license, allows you to go boating in any type of motorized vessel used for recreational purposes. This includes fishing, but you’re not quite ready to cast the first line. Next, you need to get your fishing license.
There are two steps to getting a valid Ontario fishing license:
The Ontario Outdoors Card is issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and is required by Canadian citizens, Ontario residents and all non-residents to go fishing in Ontario. It is valid for three years, and costs $8.57 + HST.
An Outdoors Card can be purchased directly on the Ontario Fish and Wildlife site. You’ll need to provide basic information to get your card, such as your name, date of birth, height and eye colour, and mailing and residential address.
You do not need an Outdoors Card if you are under 18 or over 65, as long as you carry a government-issued ID that includes your name and date of birth. If you are only going fishing for one day, you can purchase a one-day or 8-day sport fishing licence instead of an Outdoor Card. For all other situations, Ontario law stipulates that you need to carry an Outdoors Card.
After you have purchased your Outdoors Card, you can proceed to the next step: getting your fishing license. Your fishing licence(s) will be listed on the back of your Outdoors Card and on your Licence Summary (available in digital or printable format).
You can purchase both types of Ontario fishing licences online. For both types of license, anglers must follow the catch and possession limits in Ontario.
The cost of a fishing license can range from $12 for a one-day license to $170 for a three-year license. For more details, visit Province of Ontario website.
Note that there are a few exceptions to the law surrounding fishing licences. You do not need a fishing license if:
Canadian families can also enjoy going fishing without a licence four times a year! But remember, there are no exceptions for carrying a valid Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
With your Pleasure Craft Operator Card PCOC and the right fishing license, you’re ready to go! Assemble your boating safety equipment, find a correctly-fitted life jacket or PFD and make sure you’re following your boat’s maximum capacity rules. For more boating rules, regulations and safety tips, check out the Brive A Boat Canada Boating Resources Library!
Safety is the key to having a great day of fishing, either alone or with friends or family. Drive A Boat Canada offers a Transport Canada-accredited online boating safety course that over 2 million Canadians have followed. You’ll learn about navigation rules, how to choose a PFD, what to do if your boat capsizes, and much more. You can finish the course, take the test and print your boating licence in just a few hours. Register today to get started!