The Sylvan Lake RCMP is reminding residents and visitors to stay safe on the water this summer, with a special focus on stand-up paddleboard users. As the May long weekend marks the unofficial start of boating season, police are emphasizing that paddleboards are legally considered vessels and require proper safety gear, including a life jacket or personal flotation device.
Under Transport Canada rules, stand-up paddleboards are classified as human-powered vessels when used for a trip or circuit, such as crossing the lake. This means operators must either wear a Canadian-approved life jacket with a whistle attached, or carry the life jacket on board along with a whistle and a 15-metre buoyant heaving line.
The advisory comes as Sylvan Lake prepares for an influx of visitors. The community welcomed an estimated 670,955 tourists in 2024, most arriving in July and August for swimming, boating, and paddling. RCMP say many people are unaware of the safety requirements. A similar reminder from Kelowna RCMP last summer found that only about 10 per cent of paddleboarders stopped were either wearing a life jacket or had one on board, and even fewer carried a whistle.
Drowning can happen quickly and quietly, police warn. Sylvan Lake has seen multiple drownings over the years, including deaths in 2017, 2019, and 2024. Across Alberta, there are typically 40 to 50 drowning deaths each year. The Lifesaving Society promotes the 1-10-1 rule for cold water: one minute to control breathing, 10 minutes of useful movement, and up to one hour before hypothermia sets in with a life jacket on.
“Often people have a life jacket available on their boat, but they are not wearing it,” said Kelly Carter, chief executive officer of the Lifesaving Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories. Police say the best choice is simply to wear a life jacket at all times on the water, and to paddle with a partner when possible. For more details on paddleboard rules, visit Paddle Canada.
