Provincial marine associations across the country recently announced the formation of The Canadian Marine Retailers Association (CMRA), a new, national association at the recent Boating Ontario conference.
The (CMRA) will be made up of all of Canada’s marine trade associations including Boating Atlantic, Nautisme Quebec, Boating Ontario, Mid-Canada Marine & Powersports Dealers Association and Boating BC. The board of directors will be comprised of nine individuals, says Rick Layzell, the CEO of Boating Ontario: two each from Quebec, British Columbia, and Ontario, one from mid-Canada, one from the Atlantic region, and one at large. The association will be headquartered in Penetanguishene, Ont.
Since the announcement, feedback has been positive, says Layzell. The new association is in large part due to the issues the trade associations have encountered with Transport Canada. “Those meetings have caused us to say that it’s time for this organization,” says Layzell. “We have a working relationship with National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA CA), so we intend to work in concert with them.”
Canada’s recreational boating sector represents a $10 billion piece of the economy. “There has never, to my knowledge, been a true, national voice for the retail side,” says Layzell. “This isn’t just about boats and motors. It also includes, for example, cottage-country marinas that sell boats and manage slips for people to access their water-access properties.”
The CMRA will also advocate for retailers on recent issues including, lifejacket wear, exhaust noise, pleasure craft licensing, and the luxury tax on new boats over $250,000.
The CMRA intends to have a representative voice at the National Canadian Marine Advisory Council meetings in April 2024, says Layzell. “We want to make sure our voice is at the table.”
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