Canal Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1564)

Trim of Vessels

• 15 (1) A vessel navigating a canal shall have its equipment and cargo so arranged that no damage will be done to any canal structure or other works, or to any other vessel in the canal, and all discharge pipes shall be covered with hoods so as to discharge below the lock coping.

• (2) All fenders used by a vessel navigating a canal shall either be made of such materials as will float, or shall be securely fastened to the vessel by means of a steel cable or by means of two manilla ropes.

Vessels not Self-Propelled

• 16 (1) No vessel that is in excess of a dead weight of two tons, that is 20 feet or more in length and that is not self-propelled shall be on any canal without permission of the Superintending Engineer or the Superintendent.

• (2) No tug or vessel shall, without the permission of the Superintending Engineer or the Superintendent, tow more than one vessel on any canal and all conditions contained in such permission shall be complied with; and when so required by the Superintending Engineer or the Superintendent, a vessel shall be towed by two adequate tugs or vessels, one forward and one aft.

• (3) No vessel shall be towed in canal waters by another vessel fastened alongside or astern of the towed vessel unless

  • (a) the steersman of the towing vessel has an unobstructed view of the full outline of the deck at the bow of the towed vessel and of the water surface 400 feet in advance of its bow; or

  • (b) when under way, there is at all times on the deck of the towed vessel a deckhand to signal directions to the steersman.

• (4) The owner of any vessel towing another vessel and the owner of the towed vessel are jointly and severally liable for any injury or damage caused to canal property by the towed vessel.

Collision Regulations and Small Vessel Regulations

• 17 (1) Subject to subsection (3), every vessel in any canal shall comply with the Collision Regulations.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3), every vessel in any canal shall comply with the Small Vessel Regulations, made under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001.

• (3) In the event of conflict between the Collision Regulations, the Small Vessel Regulations and the Canal Regulations, the provisions of the Canal Regulations shall govern while the vessel is in a canal.

Speed of Vessels

• 18 (1) No vessel shall travel in a canal at a rate of speed in excess of the speed limit for the area designated on a sign in the area.

• (2) No vessel shall travel at a speed in excess of six miles per hour in any canal channel that is less than 150 feet in breadth.

Lights on Vessels

• 19 (1) Every vessel in any canal shall comply with the rules respecting lights as contained in the Collision Regulations.

• (2) No vessel shall use a searchlight in such manner that the rays of the searchlight interfere with the navigation of a vessel or the operation of the canal structures.

Passing of Vessels Under Way

20 The passing of vessels meeting or overtaking one another in a canal shall be governed by the Collision Regulations, subject, however, as follows:

• (a) when two vessels are approaching, from opposite directions, a swing bridge that does not provide separate channels for up and down traffic and curtails the normal width of the navigation channel, the downbound vessel shall have the right-of-way, the upbound vessel holding back so that the vessels will pass each other at least 300 feet below the bridge;

• (b) when two vessels, either one of which exceeds 100 feet in length, are approaching a bend in a canal from opposite directions, the downbound vessel shall have the right-of-way and the upbound vessel shall check its speed so as to avoid meeting in the bend; and

• (c) no vessel shall attempt to overtake another vessel while within 1,000 feet of a lock, guard gate or bridge that both are approaching.

Passing Moored Vessels

21 Any vessel passing a moored vessel or equipment working in a canal shall proceed at dead slow speed.

Vessel Precedence at Railway Bridges

• 22 (1) Precedence at railway movable bridges shall, at all times, be given to canal traffic.

• (2) If no train is on the railway signal block when a vessel whistles for the bridge, the bridge master shall, at once, set the signals against railway traffic and proceed to open the bridge.

• (3) If a train is on the railway signal block, the train will be permitted to cross and the vessel shall slow down, stop if necessary, and await the passage of the train.

Vessels Approaching Lock or Bridge

• 23 (1) A whistle, bell or horn shall be sounded before a vessel reaches any lock or movable bridge as an approach signal to such extent only as is necessary to give the officer in charge of such lock or bridge warning to receive the vessel.

• (2) The master of any vessel within a lock or approaching or leaving a lock, guard gate or bridge shall ascertain for himself whether or not such lock, guard gate or bridge is prepared to allow his vessel to enter or pass, and he shall control his vessel so as to avoid collision with canal works.

• (3) When approaching any lock or guard gate equipped with traffic signal lights, the stem of any vessel shall not pass the sign marked LIMIT OF APPROACH while the signal light shows red or when no light is shown.

• (4) No vessel shall attempt to pass any bridge equipped with traffic signal lights while the lights thereon show red or when no light is showing.

• 24 (1) At night, when approaching any lock not equipped with traffic signal lights, no vessel shall attempt to enter such lock until the red light is shown on the mitre of the gates farthest from the approaching vessel.

• (2) On all bridges not equipped with traffic lights, lanterns with red and green lenses are provided.

• (3) At night no vessel shall attempt to pass any bridge not equipped with traffic signal lights while the light shows red or when no light is showing.

Vessels Waiting at Locks

• 25 (1) All vessels approaching a lock while another vessel is in or about to enter the lock shall be moored at the approach wharf until directed by the officer in charge to proceed.

• (2) Where several vessels are waiting to enter a lock, they shall be moored in single tier at the approach wharf unless otherwise directed by the Superintending Engineer, Superintendent or lockmaster.

• (3) Each vessel shall advance to the lock in the order in which it arrived, except that:

  • (a) specific classes of vessels shall follow such order of precedence as may be established by the Chief;

  • (b) a vessel small enough to lock with a preceding vessel shall advance for that purpose ahead of its regular turn, if so instructed by the officer in charge;

  • (c) vessels with barges in tow and, in special circumstances, other vessels, shall follow such order of precedence as may be determined by the Superintending Engineer or the Superintendent; and

  • (d) a vessel approaching a lock and having precedence under the provisions of paragraph (a), (b) or (c) is not entitled to such precedence unless it is within 1/2 mile, or lesser distance, of the lock when it signals for such lock.

• (4) Vessels shall not be moored at approach wharves during the operating day except while waiting for lockage.

• (5) Except with the written authority of the Chief or Superintending Engineer, a vessel shall not be moored to a canal wharf or wall for a period in excess of 48 hours.

• (6) A vessel that has been moored to a canal wharf or wall at a lock station shall not return to any wharf or wall at that station until 24 hours have elapsed from the time of its departure therefrom.

Vessels Entering and Leaving Locks

• 26 (1) No vessel shall attempt to enter or leave a lock until the gates are fully opened, and the engines shall be stopped while the propeller wheel is passing over the mitre sills.

• (2) The rate of speed of any vessel on entering a lock, when the bow of the vessel has reached the open gates, shall be such that the vessel can be moved into position by her lines alone without depending on the propeller wheel, and the engine shall be stopped when the bow of the vessel has reached the middle of the lock between the upper and lower gates; the remaining distance to be travelled shall be by means of lines attached to winches installed on the vessel’s deck.

• (3) Any vessel, while entering, locking or leaving a lock shall be so controlled as to prevent damage by the vessel to the lock structure and auxiliary equipment.

Crew to Assist in Passing Vessels

• 27 (1) When any vessel is passing through a lock or bridge, the vessel’s crew shall, when and in such numbers as required by the officer in charge, be assigned to assist in passing the vessel.

• (2) Any men assigned under subsection (1) shall comply with the instructions given them by the officer in charge.

Control of Vessels During Ice Conditions

• 28 (1) Upon the formation of ice on any canal, the Chief may give priority or refuse passage to any vessel or require any vessel to tie up for the winter at any location in the canal.

• (2) Vessels lying in wait or wintering in a canal as a result of such instructions shall pay the wharfage, lying-up and wintering charges provided for in these Regulations.

Vessel Lines

• 29 (1) Every vessel of 200 registered gross tons and under navigating the canals shall be provided with at least two good and sufficient lines or hawsers, one at the bow and one at the quarter.

• (2) Every vessel of more than 200 registered gross tons shall be provided with at least four good and sufficient lines or hawsers, two leading astern, one leading ahead and one abreast, all so arranged that they may be used on either side, and on self-propelled vessels at least three of these lines shall run from power-driven winches.

• (3) Cargo winches may be used for the handling of mooring lines if

  • (a) each of the three mooring lines is wound on the main drum of a separate winch;

  • (b) each mooring line passes through no more than one lead between the winch and the fairlead in the vessel’s side;

  • (c) leads are fixed in place and provided with free sheaves so that the mooring line may be led to either side of the vessel as required; and

  • (d) where the exact compliance with this subsection is not possible, a slight deviation therefrom may be made on the permission in writing of the Chief, the Superintending Engineer or the Superintendent.

• (4) For the handling of mooring lines, every vessel shall have on both sides chocks satisfactory to the Chief, the Superintending Engineer or the Superintendent.

• 30 (1) Each line shall be provided with a hand-hold loop spliced thereto at the end of the eye that is thrown over the snubbing post.

• (2) When locking, each line shall be made fast to snubbing posts on the bank of the canal or lock.

• (3) The two lines leading astern of a vessel of more than 200 registered gross tons, pulling evenly, shall be made fast to separate snubbing posts.

• (4) To check the speed of a vessel while entering the lock, to prevent it from striking against the gates or other parts of the lock and to keep it in proper position while the lock is being filled or emptied, each line shall be attended by one of the vessel’s crew during the whole period that the vessel is in any lock.

• (5) A vessel shall not be permitted to pass if, in the opinion of the Chief, the Superintending Engineer or the Superintendent, the lines, winches or chocks are not good or sufficient.

Vessel Held on Canal Bank

31 No vessel when blown or otherwise held on the bank in a canal shall attempt to work itself off with the vessels engine and wheel but shall run lines to the opposite side of the canal and heave out into the channel with its capstan.

Mooring and Fastening of Vessels

• 32 (1) No vessel shall be fastened or moored so as to obstruct navigation.

• (2) An order given by the Chief, Superintending Engineer or the Superintendent with regard to the position, mooring or removal of any vessel in a canal, or to the accommodation to be given by the master of such vessel to the master of another vessel, shall be complied with immediately.

Vessels Prohibited from Tying to Poles

33 No vessel shall place a line on any electric transmission, light, telephone or telegraph pole or railings situated on canal property.