Have The Flares On Your Boat Expired?
If your marine flares have a manufacture date of 2014 or earlier they have, or will, expire this year. You can’t light them, throw them in the water or a dumpster, or even in your household garbage in order to dispose of them. It’s an issue that most boaters face annually. There is a solution from our friends at CPS.
CPS-ECP is excited to announce their partnership with CIL Dealers to undertake a project on education and awareness of safety equipment, the care and maintenance of that equipment and how to safely and effectively use and dispose of flares.
Disposing of expired flares has been an ongoing dilemma for boaters across the country. To help boaters dispose of expired flares in a safe and environmentally responsible manner CPS-ECP and selected CIL Dealers are hosting Safety Equipment Education and Flare Disposal Days. On these days only, you will be offered the opportunity to learn about required safety equipment and you can bring your outdated flares to be properly disposed of, free of charge. (Commercial flares will not be accepted.)
Here are the dates and locations all across Canada:
| Date | Retailer | Location |
| June 1, 2019 | Steveston Marine and Hardware | Vancouver Location 1667 West 5th Ave, Vancouver BC |
| June 12, 2019 | Le Marin | 149 Rue Napoleon Sept-Iles QC, G4R 3L8 |
| June 15, 2019 | Pisces Marine | 441 Wyecroft Road, Oakville, ON L6K 2H2 |
| June 15, 2019 | Lefroy Harbour Resorts | 727 Harbour St, Lefroy, ON L0L 1W0 |
| June 15, 2019 | L’entrepot marine | 379 Boul. Harwood Vaudreuil-Dorion Quebec J7V7W1 |
| June 21, 2019 | Vernon Yacht Club | 7919 Okanagan Landing Rd, Vernon, BC V1H 1H1 |
| June 22, 2019 | Lake’s Marine Supply | 5968 Trans Canada Hwy, Duncan BC V9L 6C8 |
| July 13, 2019 | The Yacht Shop | 3514 Joseph Howe Dr., Halifax NS B3L 4H7 |
| July 20, 2019 | Dan’s Nautical Shop | 12237 Riverside Dr E, Windsor, ON N8N 1A1 |
| July 20, 2019 | Buckeye Marine | 3396 County Rd 36, Bobcaygeon, ON K0M 1A0 |
| Aug 10, 2019 | Marina Shores Ltd | 520 Highway 59 South (R.R. 3 Long Point Beach) Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0 |
| Aug 10, 2019 | Bayfield Marine | 23 Fishermans Wharf Rd, Bayfield, ON N0M 1G0 |
| Sept 14, 2019 | Sudbury Hearth and Home | 827 Barrydowne Rd, Sudbury, ON P3A 3T6 |
| Sept. 20, 2019 | ESL Marine Supplies Ltd. | 51 Clyde Ave, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 4S2 |
| Sept 21, 2019 | Sound Marine Services | 103-1797 Comox Ave., Comox BC V9M 3L9 |
In accordance with Transport Canada requirements, flares are approved for four years from the date of manufacture. Typically, this means that you need to replace your flares every third or fourth boating season and dispose of the old ones. If they have expired or will expire during the boating season, you must replace them… it’s the law!
There are four types of flares: Type A – Rocket Parachute, Type B – Multi-Star, Type C – Hand-Held, Type D – Smoke Signal. For further information on the different characteristics of each type, and the quantity required for your vessel, please refer to the Safe Boating Guide available online at: www.boatingsafety.gc.ca.
For more information on the program visit https://www.cps-ecp.ca