Is alcohol consumption allowed on a boat in Alberta?

The same rules which prohibit driving while impaired also apply to boats: you must not operate, assist to operate, or have the care and control of a vessel while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Liquor must only be consumed in boats or other watercraft if the boat is licensed or it is a boat that the public does not have access to and is equipped with sleeping accommodations, cooking facilities and a toilet. In these cases, liquor may be consumed in the cabin or on the deck of the boat.

It is not prohibited to consume alcohol aboard a boat at dockside or at anchor in Ontario as long as the boat meets all of the necessary requirements.

Drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs or who have more than 0.08 BAC are subject to penalties ranging from fines to jail time.

Boaters who consume alcohol significantly increase their risk of death while boating.

Impaired drivers in Alberta are subject to the following sanctions and penalties:

• 1^st offence: Minimum $1,000 fine, sustained license suspension, 3-day vehicle seizure, must complete the Government of Alberta’s Planning Ahead course at a cost of $275

• 2^nd offence: Minimum $1,000 fine, sustained license suspension, 7-day vehicle seizure, must complete the Government of Alberta’s Impact course at a cost of $800

• 3^rd offence: Minimum $1,000 fine, sustained license suspension, 7-day vehicle seizure, must complete the Government of Alberta’s Impact course at a cost of $800

Driving while impaired is an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada.

By law, drivers who have more than 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood (the .08 level) are considered criminally impaired.