Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons

Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons / Escadrille canadiennes de plaisance (CPS-ECP) is an organization of recreational boaters with over 26,000 active members. CPS is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Its volunteer instructors help recreational boaters improve their boating safety knowledge as well as their vessel handling and navigation skills. CPS offers boating safety courses every year and provides qualification for the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). Its patron is HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Canadian Power Squadron was founded in Windsor, Ontario in 1938 after a group of boaters travelled to the Detroit Power Squadron to take the United States Power Squadrons Coastal Navigation Course. Upon their successful completion of the course, they formed the Windsor Power Squadron, closely followed by the formation of Squadrons in Sarnia, London and Toronto. CPS now has 166 Squadrons in all provinces and the Yukon Territory. CPS was incorporated in 1947, and in 1985 changed its name to Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons. At that time, the French name, Escadrilles canadiennes de plaisance was formally adopted.

Over 26,000 members volunteer their time for CPS to help promote the Boating and PCOC courses to the general public, and providing various services for the membership. Most of the volunteers are involved in boat training, developing and writing courses and instructing in classrooms across Canada.

One who successfully completes either the CPS Boating Course (called Piloting until 1972) or the CPS PCOC Course becomes a member of the organization. Full members are then permitted to fly the CPS flag on their vessels and receive six issues of Canadian Yachting magazine, four of which contain the member publication, The Port Hole. In Quebec, members receive four issues of L’Escale Nautique magazine, which contain the French member publication, Le Hublot. The members also have the opportunity to take a number of advanced and elective courses. Throughout the years a number of member benefits have been developed, including the ability to purchase a CPS Members Insurance policy, which offers a discount based on the courses members have taken.

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