SAFETY
| Year | Description of OUC Action |
| 2011 | OUC invited by the Coroner’s Office (Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services) to draft and communicate recommendations to prevent another scuba fatality like the one that occurred on the Birmingham Crane” in September of 2010 |
| 2010 | OUC revamped the Risk Mitigation and Insurance Requirements document and all associated web pages, to pass on the safety message to all Ontario divers |
| 2009 | OUC worked with Transport Canada’s “Transport of Dangerous Goods Act” to clarify the interpretation of the Act and its provincial counterpart as it relates to the transportation of scuba cylinders in Ontario |
| 2007 – 2008 | OUC worked with municipal and regional law enforcement agencies, OPG, and the Coroner’s Office to help investigate, draft, and communicate recommendations to prevent scuba fatalities like the ones that occurred in the Niagara River in September of 2007 |
| 2006 | OUC, working under a Ministry of Natural Resources, Land Management Branch mandate, conducted a diver safety and enjoyment inspection on the “Maitland Star”, a vessel planned to be deliberately scuttled in lake Huron for the purposes of creating a scuba diving attraction, near the Town of Goderich. |
| 2005 | OUC spearheaded the development, and launched a “Scuba Diver Safety Awareness Program” for Parks Canada, specifically Fathom Five National Marine Park. Incidentally, since the launch of the SDSAP in 2005, the fatality rate has dropped to zero and stayed at zero for every year except one. |
| 2003 | OUC worked with Ontario Ministry of Health to secure the right for divers to use Ontario’s “Criti-Call” hotline (1-800-668-4357) for diving-related emergencies. |
| 2002 | OUC worked successfully with Firefighters, Police, UHMS, and others to successfully keep open Toronto General Hospital’s Hyperbaric Chamber facilities |
ADVOCACY (VOICE OF ONTARIO DIVERS)
At the Ontario Underwater Council we are committed to identifying, protecting, and promoting Ontario’s Underwater Cultural Heritage as well as the rights and privileges of divers. This section is dedicated to keeping you up to date on the developments of the Government on diving issues.
Often the Council is asked to speak on behalf of divers in Ontario in response to proposed government regulations that may affect scuba diving, be it at the municipal, provincial or national level. The OUC endeavors to engage as many interested parties in the process as feasible, coordinating the effort and drafting the response. The OUC is committed to maintaining diver access to sites, promoting safe diving practices and training, as well as safeguarding the environment.
Municipal
| Year | Description of OUC Action |
| 2011 | OUC made a presentation to the Council of the Town of Innisfil. OUC’s recommendations included posting of Aviva Barth signage at the 3 docks in Innisfil, washroom/change facilities at Big Bay point and as to how best to allow controlled diving from Town docks. |
| 2011 | OUC responded to invitation from Town of Innisfil as to how best to allow controlled diving from Town docks. |
| 2011 | OUC responded to the Town of Innisfil’s Notice of By-Law to effectively ban scuba diving from Town docks. |
| 2007 – 2008 | OUC worked with municipal and regional law enforcement agencies, OPG, and the Coroner’s Office to help investigate, draft, and communicate recommendations to prevent scuba fatalities like the ones that occurred in the Niagara River in September of 2007 |
| 2006 | OUC, working under a Ministry of Natural Resources, Land Management Branch mandate, conducted a diver safety and enjoyment inspection on the “Maitland Star”, a vessel planned to be deliberately scuttled in lake Huron for the purposes of creating a scuba diving attraction, near the Town of Goderich. |
| 2002 | OUC worked successfully with Firefighters, Police, UHMS, and others to successfully keep open Toronto General Hospital’s Hyperbaric Chamber facilities |
Provincial
| Year | Description of OUC Action |
| 2011 | OUC sent a letter to Minister of Culture and Tourism asking the government to reconsider its decision to close the position of Marine Heritage Advisor. |
| 2011 | OUC invited by the Coroner’s Office (Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services) to draft and communicate recommendations to prevent another scuba fatality like the one that occurred on the Birmingham Crane” in September of 2010. |
| 2011 | OUC invited by OPHEA (Ontario Physical and Health Education Association) to assist in updating their Secondary Curricular Scuba Diving activity page. These are the minimum standard for risk management practice for school boards for curricular programs, interschool athletics and intramural programs in Ontario. |
| 2009 | OUC worked with Transport Canada’s “Transport of Dangerous Goods Act” to clarify the interpretation of the Act and its provincial counterpart as it relates to the transportation of scuba cylinders in Ontario. |
| 2007 – 2008 | OUC worked with municipal and regional law enforcement agencies, OPG, and the Coroner’s Office to help investigate, draft, and communicate recommendations to prevent scuba fatalities like the ones that occurred in the Niagara River in September of 2007 |
| 2006 | OUC, working under a Ministry of Natural Resources, Land Management Branch mandate, conducted a diver safety and enjoyment inspection on the “Maitland Star”, a vessel planned to be deliberately scuttled in lake Huron for the purposes of creating a scuba diving attraction, near the Town of Goderich. |
| 2003 | OUC worked with Ontario Ministry of Health to secure the right for divers to use Ontario’s “Criti-Call” hotline (1-800-668-4357) for diving-related emergencies. |
Federal
| Year | Description of OUC Action |
| 2009 | OUC worked with Transport Canada’s “Transport of Dangerous Goods Act” to clarify the interpretation of the Act and its provincial counterpart as it relates to the transportation of scuba cylinders in Ontario. |
| 2005 | OUC spearheaded the development, and launched a “Scuba Diver Safety Awareness Program” for Parks Canada, specifically Fathom Five National Marine Park. |
| 2004 | OUC responded to Transport Canada’s invitation to the UNESCO-driven changes to Canada Shipping Act 2001. |
CULTURAL & ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
What we can do to protect our underwater archaeological resources
OUC supports the Ministry’s site conservation philosophy. The policy is simple: “no artifact removal or disturbance”. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture considers marine archaeological assessments and mitigation of negative impacts to marine archaeological resources as necessities.
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture works closely with volunteer organizations such as the Ontario Underwater Council and Save Ontario Shipwrecks to stop the destruction of Ontario’s underwater cultural heritage sites through a balanced strategy of education and awareness, outreach and training programs and legislative regulation.
For more information about Ontario’s programs to protect Ontario’s marine heritage, please see the Ministry’s Marine Archaeology website or contact Ontario’s Marine Heritage Advisor.
| Year | Description of OUC Action |
| 2006 | OUC, working under a Ministry of Natural Resources, Land Management Branch mandate, conducted a diver safety and enjoyment inspection on the “Maitland Star”, a vessel planned to be deliberately scuttled in lake Huron for the purposes of creating a scuba diving attraction, near the Town of Goderich. |
| 2005 | OUC spearheaded the development, and launched a “Scuba Diver Safety Awareness Program” for Parks Canada, specifically Fathom Five National Marine Park. |
| 2004 | OUC responded to Transport Canada’s invitation to the UNESCO-driven changes to Canada Shipping Act 2001. |
SELF-GOVERNANCE
| Year | Description of OUC Action |
| 2011 | OUC responded to invitation from Town of Innisfil as to how best to allow controlled diving from Town docks. |
| 2011 | OUC invited by the Coroner’s Office (Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services) to draft and communicate recommendations to prevent another scuba fatality like the one that occurred on the Birmingham Crane” in September of 2010 |
| 2011 | 2010 OUC responded to the Town of Innisfil’s Notice of By-Law to effectively ban scuba diving from Town docks. |
| 2009 | OUC worked with Transport Canada’s “Transport of Dangerous Goods Act” to clarify the interpretation of the Act and its provincial counterpart as it relates to the transportation of scuba cylinders in Ontario |
| 2007 – 2008 | OUC worked with municipal and regional law enforcement agencies, OPG, and the Coroner’s Office to help investigate, draft, and communicate recommendations to prevent scuba fatalities like the ones that occurred in the Niagara River in September of 2007 |
| 2006 | OUC, working under a Ministry of Natural Resources, Land Management Branch mandate, conducted a diver safety and enjoyment inspection on the “Maitland Star”, a vessel planned to be deliberately scuttled in lake Huron for the purposes of creating a scuba diving attraction, near the Town of Goderich. |
| 2005 | OUC spearheaded the development, and launched a “Scuba Diver Safety Awareness Program” for Parks Canada, specifically Fathom Five National Marine Park. Incidentally, since the launch of the SDSAP in 2005, the fatality rate has dropped to zero and stayed at zero for every year except one. |
| 2004 | OUC responded to Transport Canada’s invitation to the UNESCO-driven changes to Canada Shipping Act 2001. |
| 2003 | OUC worked with Ontario Ministry of Health to secure the right for divers to use Ontario’s “Criti-Call” hotline (1-800-668-4357) for diving-related emergencies. |
| 2002 | OUC worked successfully with Firefighters, Police, UHMS, and others to successfully keep open Toronto General Hospital’s Hyperbaric Chamber facilities |
FUN
| Year | Description of OUC Action |
| Annual | OUC organizes the Ice Floe Races on the Ottanbee River in Peterborough. This was originally hosted by Trident Underwater Club. |
| 2010 | OUC organized an “Evening for Divers by Divers”. |
| 2000 – 2009 | OUC organized a “Treasure Hunt” weekend in Presqu’ile Provincial Park. |
| 1970 – 2001 | OUC organized “Underwater Canada” as a symposium, conference and film show which also provided a venue for training by various agencies. |
These validate that OUC is recognized as representative body for the sport of scuba diving in Ontario. As you can see, many of the things OUC does encompass more than one area of our mission statement.