Gas prices cast shadow over Canada’s favourite summer pastime: boating season

A fishing boat is moored in Neddy Harbour in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland and Labrador, on Monday, August 15, 2016. Parks Canada says campers will be allowed to smoke cannabis at registered campsites in national parks across Canada.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

BOBCAYGEON, ONT. - Fuel prices are looming over one of Canada’s favourite summer pastimes and with the cost of gas at record highs, many boaters are bracing for what could be a choppy season on the water.

Boats are being launched at Kawartha Lakes Marina in Bobcaygeon, Ont. but a wet spring has meant a slow start to the season. Factor in the price of gas and owner Chad Hinton says some of his regulars are weighing whether to put their boats in the water this year, at all.

“We have a few people that are on the fence about whether or not the boat may go in (due to) fuel prices and general cost of living,” Hinton said.

Nationally, the average price of gas is hovering around $1.90 per litre, which according to the CAA, is a sharp increase from the national average of $1.31 a litre one year ago. Fuel sold at marinas is already more expensive than what drivers pay at the pump in town, making an already costly hobby even pricier.

For families who boat recreationally, that adds up quickly. Hinton says the price of gas alone won’t stop most people from getting out on the water but for some it’s changing the calculus around summer spending.

“For the family of four that saves enough to go away for a week on vacation every year, if groceries have gone up and fuel has gone up, they definitely change what they’re doing on vacation,” he said.

The cost of a day on the water depends on a number of factors including boat size, tank capacity, speed, distance travelled and even wind conditions. While some owners are choosing to leave their boats in storage, others say they’ll still get out this summer, while cutting back in other ways.

For Barclay Elliott, his boat is essentially his cottage. He has no plans to keep it tied up this season, but he’s aware of what it costs to fill the tank.

“It’s not going to stop me from boating,” Elliott said. “What it may do is instead of 10 trips, I’ll do nine.”

According to Transport Canada, more than 12 million Canadian adults participate in recreational boating each year. The industry contributes roughly $5.6 billion to Canada’s GDP. However, the high cost of living, combined with soaring gas prices, could further strain an industry already navigating uncertainty.

Murray Hadfield, who sells boats in the Kawartha area, says the market has gone flat. He’s seen clients forced to dramatically cut their asking prices just to attract buyers.

“They started advertising OBO, ‘or best offer,’ and they still couldn’t get action in the fall,” Hadfield said.

There is cautious hope among marina operators and boaters that these gas prices will begin to ease before the peak of summer, though it often takes longer for prices to come down than it does for them to go up.