Recertification in Quebec?

[knotical]

Starting in 2002 you need a permit to dive recreationally in Quebec. The permit must be renewed every three years. This appears to be a form of recertification. Instructors must renew their permit to teach every year.

Does anyone have experience diving or teaching in Quebec since this law passed?
If so, how has it worked for you?
Is there evidence or claims whether this law has improved safety?

 

[tfunk]

Have you lived in Quebec? I'm from Canada, and I think that's a failure on the Canadian diving standards people. I'm positive there are government lobbyists whose job is to appease the government in this matter.

 

[Falco]

I've dived since this law was passed.

You need to dive 10 or 15 times in the three year period for your diving to remain an active diver, so you need to keep an accurate dive log as proof. If you fail to do so, you'll need to get checked by an instructor. You are supposed to show your diving permit to have access to conpressors, diving sites and rental equipment. When you apply for your permit, you have to fill out a basic form with your diving certification history and instructor's identification number. There is are five class of permits (Diver A, B, C; instructor A, B) if I recal correctly. So now if you dived deeper than your certification permits, you can get fined by the police (Yeah right, like they're going to check). A three year permit costs a little less then 18$, I'm pretty sure there are visitor permits available too.

In my short diving "career" nobody has ever asked me for such a permit, in fact I did most of my dives without one becase my instructor didn't receive the application forms yet.

Hoped this helped

 

[msandler]

I wonder why?

 

[SeanQ]

Check out the Fédération Québécoise des Activités Subaquatiques (FQAS) website; they have a page about the new law and its history. http://www.fqas.qc.ca/pages/historique_e.html