The Prairie Lily is registered as a Passenger Vessel. Registration indicates name, size and a number of other items that define the vessel and how she is designated for regulatory purposes.

All ships in Canada are inspected annually. A Transport Canada inspector comes from Edmonton or Winnipeg and does a thorough review of all documentation, safety equipment, ship’s condition, and other items as designated by the Act. Without passing and annual inspection, the vessel is not allowed to carry passengers.

All ships in Canada have a hull inspection every five years. Most operators have access to a dry dock which makes this process easier. We have had difficulty in Saskatoon as the ship is required to be pulled from the river to have the hull, propellors and shafts inspected. Without passing a hull inspection, the vessel is not allowed to carry passengers.

1. Manning documents – Manning documents indicate how many crew are required to be on board the ship based on the number of passengers on board.
    
2. Lifesaving Plan – A life saving plan is to be approved by Transport Canada and posted.
    
3. Fire Plan – A fire plan is to be approved by Transport Canada and posted.
    
4. Muster Stations – As a summary of Emergency procedures, a muster list outlining crew duties in the event of an emergency must be posted.
    
5. Drills – Every week there is a requirement for safety drills which must include monthly fire fighting and abandon ship drills.

Deckhands assist with the operation of the ship and require a short version of a medical emergency duties course. This includes our Chief steward and stewards. Our Chief Steward also has First Aid and CPR training as one crew member must have this training and we always have a Chief Steward on board.

Under current regulations that exist (but have been scheduled to be revised since 2018, passenger vessels are required to have an engineer possessing a Small Vessel Machinery Operator (SVMO) certificate. Transport Canada conducts oral, written and practical exams for this certification. The Prairie Lily possesses a Marine Transportation Review Board (MTRB) ruling that allows us to have a “Person in Charge of Machinery” in place, pending the updated regulations, expected in the short term. Engineers also require a high level marine emergency duties certification.

The ship’s chief mate is permitted to operate The Prairie Lily. Training includes a high level marine emergency duties certifications, Marine Basic First Aid, and a Marine Medical Certificate. With three months “sea time”, and these initial qualifications, a person is eligible to write the chief mate’s exam which has written, oral and practical components to it. Transport Canada provides the examination service. Knowledge covers everything from the ship to emergencies and drills, collision regulations, communications, documentation, stability, life saving and other marine subject areas.

Once a person has achieve a Chief Mate’s ticket and additional sea time, they are eligible to be examined for a Master’s ticket by Transport Canada. The examination and required information is similar to the Chief Mate but requires much greater understanding and competence. Our season is not long enough to meet the requirements and achieve both a Chief Mate and a Master’s ticket in the same summer. There are mariners in other areas of the country that could hold tickets adequate to sail The Prairie Lily. Keep in mind they are often deep water sailors so would have to invest time in learning to pilot a riverboat, especially in a river as shallow as the South Saskatchewan through Saskatoon.

Prairie River Cruises Ltd. is a member of the Passenger and Commercial Vessel Association.  This is a national advocacy organization for the passenger vessel industry and has members from across the country.  The organization is particularly useful for access to training programme (particularly marine emergency duties), an industry insurance programme, advocacy and conference education.  Working with like-minded individuals with industry experience has been very helpful to our operation.

We have always felt we are part the Community of Saskatoon and Saskatchewan. There are a number of organisations we work and participate with through local memberships, relationships, and donations. This has helped us to understand our customers and their interests and be part of the communities that support our business. This includes the City of Saskatoon, Discover Saskatoon, The Meewasin Valley Authority, other river users and our neighbours, Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan and The Wonderhub.

There are many components of operating a business that are similar across the board. This includes bookkeeping, human resources, marketing, sales, inventory, guest management and over-all management. These duties need to be carried out along with the ship’s operation and maintenance in addition to the regulatory environment outlined above.