General
Enviro Float Manufacturing (2002) Ltd. has the ability to make floatation ANY size that you require. Our sales team would be happy to assist you in designing a dock with the perfect floatation plan. A general rule of thumb is:
Fresh water buoyancy: 1 cubic foot of foam = 55 LBS of lift
Ocean water buoyancy: 1 cubic foot of foam = 62 LBS of lift
We make a wide array of floating docks. From heavy timber to lightweight residential, our docks are designed to be long lasting and durable.
We use everything from treated wood to cedar to a special environmentally sensitive laminate wood exclusive to Enviro Float Manufacturing (2002) Ltd. We have also built many steel and concrete floats that have both wood and concrete decks. We will always build to suit your needs.
All of our floatation devices are designed and built to have no impact on the marine environment. The plastic used to protect the water from the raw foam does not breakdown or have any leeching of chemicals into the water.
Although we do make docks with treated lumber, it is only done when regulations allow. We at Enviro Float Manufacturing (2002) Inc. make every effort to use alternatives to treated wood when situations allow.
Mooring Buoys
All docks and buoys are subject to the terms and conditions of the Navigable Waters Protection Act and the Private Buoy Regulations. However, there are provisions which exempt some docks and mooring buoys from requiring Approval from the Minister. The details of these exemptions can be found at:
Mooring buoys - http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/tp-tp13585-mooringbuoys-3006.htm
Docks and Boathouses - http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2014/2014-04-19/html/notice-avis-eng.php#trans2
Mooring buoys must be placed and marked in compliance with the Private Buoy Regulations. Full text at http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-99-335/
The Private Buoy Regulations specify that buoys must also comply with the requirements set out in the Canadian Aids to Navigation (TP 968), which directs that a mooring buoy is coloured white and orange, with the orange colour covering the top one third of the buoy above the waterline. A mooring buoy must have a yellow light, if lighted. The light must conform to the standards and guidelines in the Canadian Aids to Navigation (TP 968). Retroreflective material, if used, must be yellow.
Full text at http://www.tc.gc.ca/publications/en/tp14799/pdf/hr/tp14799e.pdf
Any person or entity may seek to place a mooring buoy, provided the buoy meets the requirements of the Private Buoy Regulations, and the criteria within Transport Canada’s Marine Safety Management System (TP 13585) Tier II Procedure on Mooring Buoys have been followed.
Full text at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/tp-tp13585-mooringbuoys-3006.htmThe authority of the Navigable Waters Protection Act exists within the extent of the waterway below the High Water Mark (HWM). The Act does not speak to the placement of mooring buoys with respect to upland property rights.
Although the NWPA does not prohibit the placement of buoys in front of private property, there may be other local, regional, or Provincial regulations that do. It is always best to check with your local authorities before proceeding.
Some mooring buoys require Approval documents, and some do not. It depends on a few factors which are listed within Transport Canada’s Marine Safety Management System (TP 13585) Tier II Procedure on Mooring Buoys. Full text at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/tp-tp13585-mooringbuoys-3006.htm.
If a buoy meets all the criteria under Annex A of the mooring buoy policy document above, then no application is required and Transport Canada does not maintain a record of these. If a buoy falls under Annex B of the document, then the owner must apply for an Approval under the Navigable Waters Protection Act. The application process is free, and can be made electronically to NPPPAC-PPNPAC@tc.gc.ca.
No. The Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) continues to apply to all bodies of water that are capable of being navigated by any type of floating vessel for transportation, recreation or commerce. The final authority to determine the navigability of a waterway rests with the Minister of Transport or his/her designated representative. The NWPA provides for the prohibition to build works in navigable waters, unless the work, its site and plans have been approved by the Minister of Transport on such terms and conditions as he/she deems fit. In addition, the Act provides for measures regarding removal of wreck or other obstacles to navigation and for the prohibition to throw or deposit any material in navigable waters.
For further guidance on the NWPA, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs-621.html
Under the Navigable Waters Protection Act, all unlawful works are subject to removal. However, due to resource limitations, actions carried out by the Department are prioritized according to their degree of obstruction to navigation and the potential hazard they present to public safety.
Transport Canada is actively involved in several multi-agency collaborative initiatives to develop long-term solutions to known areas of mooring buoy congestion and regulatory non-conformance. The Navigable Waters Protection Program (NWPP) will offer guidance and support to local community initiatives to alleviate problem areas, such as through providing input on developing public moorage facilities, or participating in the pre-development and consultative phases of community planning and by-law development.