Is there anything we can do about noisy PWCs?

Updated: June 12, 2017

I have done some preliminary research on noise laws but there does not appear to be anything on boat noise. Is there anything one can do about noisy PWCs that go around and around in a small bay all day long?
—Fed-up in Faraday Township

Beyond talking to these Jet Ski junkies—hey, maybe they’d be dismayed to know that their fun is bothering the lake neighbours—probably not much. In most cases, municipal bylaws don’t govern boat noise specifically. But it’s always smart to check, because it varies across Canada: In some municipalities, PWCs and motorboats are lumped in with lawn mowers and rock hammers, and there are regulations restricting when someone can operate them. (On certain lakes, PWCs are prohibited altogether.)

Of course, if these riders are violating boating safety laws, you may have more recourse. Boaters or PWC drivers can be penalized for operating a boat that’s improperly equipped under the Small Vessel Regulations (without, for example, a proper muffler or bypass system), for violating a waterway’s speed limits, or for operating their craft in a dangerous or even “careless” manner. According to Transport Canada, driving a PWC “at high engine regime in circular or criss-cross patterns for extended periods of time in the same location” is an example of careless operation.

Noise aside, if you felt these PWC riders were breaking the law, you could certainly share your concerns with the police.