Canada question — booze in boat

We are staying at a resort on the Canadian (Ontario) side of Saganaga this summer. The resort is only accessible via boat. We will be launching our boat in Minnesota and will be using the RABC to handle our customs clearance. I have often read that when fishing in Canadian waters, you need to be careful not to run afoul of any of their laws, which I understand. Usually when we have fished border lakes, we have stayed in resorts on the US side and it’s no problem — leave the booze at the cabin and enjoy at the end of the day. That’s not so much an option this time around, since we’ll be traveling via boat to the resort.

I’ve read varying things online. Some say no booze in the boat while underway, period. Others say it’s fine to have alcohol with unbroken seals stowed in closed compartments. Anyone have experience and care to share? Or can link me to the actual Ontario rules?

Also: yes, I know I’ll be traveling through the BWCA, which means no glass and no cans allowed. Brutal. That would limit us to sealed plastic bottles of liquor. That’s gonna mean lower quality booze, but hey, if I can still enjoy a 7&7 on the dock at night I’ll be just fine.

No open container is actually the law. You can transport it, just don’t open it.

Some friends of mine got nailed in Ontario, I think they had some open cans of beer, but not sure. Anyway, it was a $250 fine to the person operating the boat.

Thanks folks. Definitely not going to mess with open containers, but good to know that sealed containers are fine. We’re not up there to party, but my dad and I like to unwind with a cocktail or three on the dock or sitting around the fire at night.

We drive to Kenora and then launch and go to an island when up on LOW and haul several cases of beer and usually a couple bottles of something also, just nothing open and then of course bring nothing out when fishing. The BWCA thing I have not done before so no help there.

John Rasmussen wrote:

We drive to Kenora and then launch and go to an island when up on LOW and haul several cases of beer and usually a couple bottles of something also, just nothing open and then of course bring nothing out when fishing. The BWCA thing I have not done before so no help there.

Thanks. BW is just a no glass or aluminum/tin can policy, so we’ll need to bring cheap booze in plastic bottles.

Good to know! I’m doing a sort of semi-backcountry Canadian trip in June. Long story short, it’s about a 2 hr ride by a train of small boats to where we’re going. Gotta be conscious of gear but was hoping to bring a nice bottle of something for the fire. Gotta finish it before the ride back, though.

Dirty, im assuming that pertains to open containers. Would that also mean you couldnt bring a can of soda or a can of wd40 or other things that are sold in metal containers?

phishingruven wrote:

Dirty, im assuming that pertains to open containers. Would that also mean you couldnt bring a can of soda or a can of wd40 or other things that are sold in metal containers?

It’s only for food and drinks. They don’t want a bunch empty Bush’s Beans cans filling up the fire pits.

phishingruven wrote:

Dirty, im assuming that pertains to open containers. Would that also mean you couldnt bring a can of soda or a can of wd40 or other things that are sold in metal containers?

You can bring metal containers with fuel, bug spray, medication, etc. Cans or glass of food/beverage items are illegal in the bwca. Too bad a lot of people disregard it. There are not many rules for the bwca but yet somehow I see about half of the rules broken by other groups on almost every trip..

tswoboda wrote:

It’s only for food. They don’t want a bunch empty Bush’s Beans cans filling up the fire pits.

They don’t want a bunch of empties of the other kind of Busch can’s either

ThunderLund78 wrote:

Gotta be conscious of gear but was hoping to bring a nice bottle of something for the fire. Gotta finish it before the ride back, though.

Not sure I understand your last sentence?

Huntindave wrote:

Not sure I understand your last sentence?

Since he is going to be in Canada it would be considered an open container so a possible fine.

The container can be opened (seal broken) as long as it is not accessible, obviously you would only do this with hard liquor.
Open liquor is only allowed in a licenced premises (bar) residence or private place.
Your campsite is considered your residence.

We have it all the time just no open containers. Declare at Intl Falls/Fort Frances border crossing, transport across Rainy lake from the Canadian side in the boat to the cabin and you are fine.
Cannot speak to the Boundary Waters piece though.

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Huntindave wrote:</div>
Not sure I understand your last sentence?

Since he is going to be in Canada it would be considered an open container so a possible fine.

Empty or not, the bottle is still an open container once the seal is broken. So it does not matter if he finishes the bottle.

If having “broken seal” containers in an inaccessible location is OK, that is a separate question.

Exception
(4) Subsection (3) does not apply if the liquor in the boat,
(a) is in a container that is unopened and the seal unbroken; or
(b) is stored in a closed compartment. R.S.O. 1990, c. L.19, s. 32 (4).

you can transport by boat to and from your resort/campsite just fine, as long as there’s no open containers.

you’re also allowed to bring enough with you out in the boat each day to consume during a shore lunch.

Huntindave wrote:

Empty or not, the bottle is still an open container once the seal is broken. So it does not matter if he finishes the bottle.

I dont know on what planet someone would actually cite someone with an offense for an empty bottle but dohkay.

Reef W wrote:

Exception
(4) Subsection (3) does not apply if the liquor in the boat,
(a) is in a container that is unopened and the seal unbroken; or
(b) is stored in a closed compartment. R.S.O. 1990, c. L.19, s. 32 (4).

Thanks Reef. So you just have to meet either one of those requirements. This is an important two letters “or” because I think it means I can buy a big old plastic handle of the cheapest gin, empty and rinse the bottle, and fill up with something better, pack it in a closed compartment on the boat and call it good.

I guess what I’m getting at is if it’s empty, I would hope having it in a garbage bag with other refuse were hauling out would acceptable. Not sure that’s considered a closed compartment. As long as it wasn’t knocking around the bottom of the boat. If there’s some left, I guess I could pack it away and out-of-reach, but I’m pretty sure the boats we’re in don’t have compartments of any kind… And isn’t a cooler an enclosed compartment?? I think reasonable assumption from law enforcement applies to US citizens in the states, but not from Mounties in Canada, from what I’ve heard. Nothing’s ever simple, maybe I’ll just leave the booze at home.

Michael C. Winther wrote:

you’re also allowed to bring enough with you out in the boat each day to consume during a shore lunch.

It still has to be unopened. We had some flat beer in a bottle that had been opened and planned on using it for shore lunch breading. We weren’t fined but the beer was confiscated and we got a lecture about knowing the laws.

dirtywater wrote:

This is an important two letters “or” because I think it means I can buy a big old plastic handle of the cheapest gin, empty and rinse the bottle, and fill up with something better, pack it in a closed compartment on the boat and call it good.

Why even bother putting it in an alcohol bottle at that point? A 2L bottle of Sprite would serve your purpose.

Seems to me a 2 gallon gas can full of Bourbon is in order. Only question is new or used can

Michael C. Winther wrote:

you’re also allowed to bring enough with you out in the boat each day to consume during a shore lunch.

I’ve heard this a hundred times and it feels like the biggest urban legend ever. Ever seen that actually written somewhere?

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Huntindave wrote:</div>
Empty or not, the bottle is still an open container once the seal is broken. So it does not matter if he finishes the bottle.

I dont know on what planet someone would actually cite someone with an offense for an empty bottle but dohkay.

I can guarantee you it happens every day of the year. Talk with your local law enforcement if you don’t believe me.
You see trash sitting by the ramp, better not put that “empty” beer can on the floor of your car.

tswoboda wrote:

Seems to me a 2 gallon gas can full of Bourbon is in order. Only question is new or used can

I would go new, but that’s just me. Who knows if you have some left over maybe we can market it as aged in non oxy, just get Buffalo Trace to bottle it and we can sell it to the hipsters

Hahah. All fair points here. All my gas cans are old-skool vented chiltons and i don’t want to waste them on booze.

tswoboda wrote:

Seems to me a 2 gallon gas can full of Bourbon is in order. Only question is new or used can

Lil Jon & East Side Boyz, crunk juice style

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tswoboda wrote:

Seems to me a 2 gallon gas can full of Bourbon is in order. Only question is new or used can

Depending on the whiskey, you may not even be able to tell…

We are a father/son/grandson trio with all our paperwork and licenses in order and in-floor storage. I think I’ll lean toward an interpretation of “closed compartment” that includes this.