LL No.	List of Lights Section	Corrections Published*
1 - 20	Kootenay Lake	Edn 02
23	Slocan Lake
26 - 41	Upper and Lower Arrow Lake - Columbia River
42.8 - 51	Shuswap Lake
51.5 - 64.4	Okanagan Lake
65 - 65.2	Seton Lake
66 - 179.1	West Coast, Vancouver Island
180 - 216.4	Juan de Fuca Strait
222.8 - 264	Haro Strait	Edn 02
265.2 - 309.5	Southern Strait of Georgia
310 - 371	Fraser River - South Arm	Edn 02, Edn 03
372 - 373.7	Pitt Lake
374 - 380	Harrison Lake
380.5 - 385	Fraser River - Middle Arm and North Arm
385.3 - 416.5	Vancouver Harbour
417 - 432	Howe Sound
433 - 447.2	Vancouver Island
447.5 - 510	Northern Strait of Georgia	Edn 02, Edn 03
511 - 517.5	Discovery Passage
518 - 544.6	Johnstone Strait
545 - 553.5	Broughton Strait
554 - 569	Queen Charlotte Strait
569.2 - 586	Queen Charlotte Sound
587 - 718.5	Northern Inside Channels
719 - 768.2	Pacific Coast
768.6 - 812	Haida Gwaii	Edn 02
813	Babine Lake
815	François Lake
817.5 - 821.5	Stuart Lake
821.7 - 827.5	Quesnel Lake
830 - 845	Trembleur Lake

Introduction

Abbreviations, Definitions and Explanations

Reading the Tables

Information Relating to Lights

Canadian Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Offices

Introduction

General Information

The Canadian Aids to Navigation System

The Canadian Aids to Navigation System is comprised of a mix of visual, audible and electronic aids to navigation, which are provided to assist mariners in determining position and course, to warn of dangers or obstructions or to advise of the location of the best or preferred route.

It is a combined Lateral-Cardinal system and conforms to the IALA (International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities) Maritime Buoyage System, Region B. Details of the Canadian aids to navigation system can be found in The Canadian Aids to Navigation System 2023 publication. This publication also contains information on the legal provisions relevant to, or governing aids to navigation.

Cautions in the Use of Aids to Navigation

1.Mariners are cautioned not to rely solely on buoys for navigation purposes. Navigation should be by bearings or angles from fixed aids on shore or other charted landmarks and by sounding or through the use of satellite or radio-navigation systems, whenever possible.

2.Most aids to navigation are not under continuous observation and mariners should be aware that failures and displacements do occur. The Canadian Coast Guard does not guarantee that all aids to navigation will operate as advertised or in the positions advertised, at all times. Mariners observing aids to navigation not operating, out of position, operating at reduced service, showing improper characteristics, damaged, or missing are responsible for reporting such problems to the nearest Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre immediately or to the closest Canadian Coast Guard office.

3.Aids to navigation are subject to damage, failure and moving off position, which may be caused by ice, storms, vessel strikes, and power failures. Ice and storm damage may be widespread and require considerable time to repair. Damage to an isolated aid may exist for a long time without being discovered and reported. Floating aids and pier lights in or near the water which are exposed to particularly rigorous strain during ice movement are at the greatest risk of damage.

4.Mariners are cautioned that aids to navigation may fail to exhibit their advertised characteristics. Lights may be extinguished or appear at a reduced intensity and audible signals may not function due to ice, collisions, mechanical failure, and, in the case of bell and whistle buoys, calm water. The shape of an aid to navigation may be altered by ice formation or damage. The colour of an aid to navigation may be altered by freezing spray, marine growth, or fouling by birds. AIS aids, transponders, or shore-based systems may fail, and errors may be introduced by some electronic navigation systems.

5.Buoy positions shown on nautical charts should be considered as approximate positions. There are a number of limiting factors in accurately positioning buoys and their anchors. These factors include prevailing atmospheric and sea conditions, tidal and current conditions, seabed conditions and the fact that buoys are moored to anchors by varying lengths of chain and may drift about their charted positions within the scope of their moorings.

6.Since moving ice is liable to move buoys from their advertised positions, mariners should proceed with extreme caution under these circumstances.

7.Mariners are reminded that because of differences in horizontal datum (i.e. NAD 27, NAD 83, WGS84), grids on charts of an area may vary from one chart to another. When plotting the positions of aids to navigation by the latitude and longitude method, the results should be checked against other available information.

8.In some instances, it is necessary to establish a buoy in close proximity to or on a navigational hazard (e.g. shoal, reef or ledge). In these instances, the buoy symbol may be slightly offset on the chart in the direction of the preferred navigable water so that the existing hazard depicted on the chart will not be overprinted by the buoy symbol. Such offsets will be indicated on the chart by means of an arrow.

9.Mariners are cautioned not to navigate too closely to a buoy and risk a collision with it, its mooring, or with the underwater obstruction which it marks.

10.Many lights are equipped with sun switches. These lights, both on shore and on most buoys, may be unlit between sunrise and sunset. Mariners unable to see these lights during the daylight hours should not assume that the equipment is malfunctioning.

11.Atmospheric conditions can have a considerable effect on light transmission and the visibility of lights. For example:

a)The distance to a light cannot be reliably estimated from its apparent brightness.
b)It is difficult to distinguish between a white light and a yellow or blue light seen alone at night, except at a short distance.
c)Under some atmospheric conditions, white and yellow lights take on a reddish hue.
d)Alternating lights with phases of different luminous intensity may change their apparent characteristics at different distances because some phases may not be visible.
e)When observed from similar distances, lower intensity lights are more easily obscured by conditions of low visibility than more powerful lights. Coloured lights may appear to be a lower intensity than white lights and are more quickly lost under unfavourable circumstances.
f)Ice, frost, moisture, or dirt may form on lantern windows during cold weather or over time and more particularly this may reduce their visibility and could cause coloured lights to appear white.
g)A light exhibiting a very short flash may not be visible at as great a range as a light exhibiting a longer flash.

12.The mariner should not rely solely on colour when using a sector light, but should verify the vessel's line of position by taking a bearing on the light. On either side of the line of demarcation, between white and red, and also between white and green, there is always a small arc of uncertain colour.

13.When the arc of visibility of a light is cut off, for example by sloping land, the bearing at which it appears or disappears will vary with the observer's distance and height of eye.

14.The sighting of a light may be adversely affected by different situations, such as a strongly illuminated background, a colourful, or a changing background.

15.Audible aids to navigation. In view of the varying distances at which a fog signal can be heard at sea, and the frequent occurrence of fog near, but not observable from, a fog signal, mariners are cautioned that:

a)When approaching land in fog, they should not rely implicitly upon these fog signals, but should always take soundings, which in nearly all cases will give sufficient warning of danger.

b)Distance from a fog signal should not be judged by the power of the sound. Under certain atmospheric conditions, the sound may be lost at a very short distance from the signal. These conditions may vary within a very short period of time. Mariners should not assume that a fog signal is not in operation because they do not hear it, even when in close proximity.

16.Visual aids to navigation provided by the Canadian Coast Guard are for the purpose of assisting marine navigation. Hunters, snowmobilers and ice fishers are cautioned that aids to navigation installed for marine navigation purposes cannot be relied upon after the close of the marine navigation season. Such aids may stop operating without warning and will not be re-commissioned by the Canadian Coast Guard until the next opening of marine navigation season.

17.Mariners should be aware of the type of AIS aid to navigation they are using. Physical AIS aids are broadcast from a traditional aid, so their actual positions are reported, and they may be flagged as off position. Virtual AIS aids are broadcast from remote stations, and there are no associated traditional aids at their broadcast position. A Synthetic (Predicted) AIS aid is broadcast from a remote station as a signal placed over the position of a traditional fixed aid and its position will remain static if the associated aid is moved, damaged, or destroyed. AIS aid to navigation types may be differentiated by their information displays.

Abbreviations, Definitions and Explanations

International Abbreviations Used

National Abbreviations

Light Signals

General Terms Related to Light Signals

•Bearings: limits of light sectors and areas of visibility of lights and the alignments of leading lights and directional lights, given as bearings from seaward. The bearings of sectors are given in clockwise order.
•Character: distinctive combination of various aspects of a light which appear regularly or rhythmically allowing it to be identified, for example: fixed, flashing, alternating, etc.
•Colour: colour exhibited by the light.
•Period: time occupied by an entire cycle of intervals of light (flash) and darkness (eclipse).
•Phase: each successive element of a rhythmic light’s cycle (i.e. flash, eclipse).
•Rhythm: pattern of light (flash) and darkness (eclipse) displayed by the light of an aid that allows its function to be identified in conjunction with the period and the colour of the light.

Audible Signals

The specific audible signal of an aid to navigation is indicated in the “Remarks” column.

Reading the Tables

Column Descriptions for an Aid to Navigation (Lights, Lighted Buoys, Fog Signals)

Lights, lighted buoys and fog signals are listed and described in an eight-column table. The contents and principal conventions are used as follows:

Column 1 – National and International Numbers

The national number (No.) is a number assigned to an aid to navigation to service a specific position. It is unique to its proper volume and can be one to eight digits long, including four decimal places. Generally, the numbering increases in the upstream direction.

The international number (Intl No.) is listed under the national number. It starts with one capital letter and followed by four to seven digits, including three decimal places. These numbers correspond to the numbers given in the Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals publication by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO).
There are two volumes that cover Canadian aids to navigation:

•Volume G: Western Side of South Atlantic Ocean and East Pacific Ocean

oThis covers the Pacific Coast volume of the List of Lights, Buoys and Fog Signals.

•Volume H: Northern and Eastern Coasts of Canada

oThis covers the Newfoundland and Labrador Coast, Atlantic Coast, Inland Waters and Arctic Coast volumes of the List of Lights, Buoys and Fog Signals.

Column 2 – Name and RACON

The name of an aid to navigation is based off official geographical names as per the Canadian Geographical Names Database by Natural Resources Canada. When there is no official name that is applicable to the aid, then local names would be used instead.

Other elements can be found in the name such as the type of light signal, the function of the aid (as described in The Canadian Aids to Navigation System 2023 publication), and physical identifier (such as an aid designator on a buoy).

The typographic elements employed allow the following distinctions to be made:

•Upright and bold type: land-based lights with nominal range of at least 15 nautical miles
•Upright type: other land-based lights

•Italic type: buoys

If an aid to navigation is equipped with a RACON, then that will be indicated in a separate section underneath the aid name and includes the Morse Code letter and equivalent coded signal, and the radar band(s) that the RACON operates in.

Column 3 – Location and Geographic Positions

Additional information on the location of the aid to navigation may be described to complement what is written in the aid name.

The geographic positions of all aids to navigation listed in this volume are shown in degrees, minutes and seconds and are given in the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) with an accuracy to a tenth of second.

In the case of range lights, the position of the rear light is also given by bearing and distance from the front light. The bearing is from seaward.

Column 4 –Light Characteristics

Light characteristics are composed of its rhythm (which includes the character), colour, and period.

•The period is not applicable to lights with a fixed (F) character.

Only the light characteristics of the main light of an aid to navigation are indicated in this column. Any additional light (secondary light, emergency light/mode, locator light or aeronautical light) is indicated in the “Remarks” column with their light characteristics.

Details regarding the basic types of light characters can be found in The Canadian Aids to Navigation System 2023 publication.

Common Light Flash Characters

Below is a list of common light flash characters with their typical flash and eclipse sequence. Definitions of these characters have been included for reference. (Please note that any uncommon light flash characters and variations on the sequence of a character listed below is indicated in the “Remarks” column.)

Fixed (F) Light: light which appears continuous and steady and of constant colour.
Rhythmic Light: light exhibiting its character in recurring regular cycles.

•Isophase (Iso): light in which the alternations of light (flash) and darkness (eclipse) are of equal length.

o“Iso 2s”: flash 1.0 s; eclipse 1.0 s

•Flashing (Fl): light in which the flash is clearly shorter than the duration of darkness and in which the flashes of light are all of equal duration.

oSingle-flashing light: flashing light in which a flash is regularly repeated at a rate of less than 50 flashes per minute.

“Fl 4s”: flash 0.5 s; eclipse 3.5 s

oLong-flashing light: flashing light in which an appearance of light of not less than 2 seconds in duration (long flash) is regularly repeated.

“LFl 10s”: flash 2.0 s; eclipse 8.0 s

oGroup-flashing light: flashing light in which a group of flashes, specified in number, is regularly repeated.

“Fl(2) 5s”: flash 0.4 s; eclipse 0.6 s; flash 0.4 s; eclipse 3.6 s
“Fl(2) 10s”: flash 1.0 s; eclipse 1.0 s; flash 1.0 s; eclipse 7.0 s
“Fl(5) 20s”: 4(flash 0.5 s; eclipse 1.5 s); flash 0.5 s; eclipse 11.5 s

oComposite group-flashing light: light similar to a group flashing light except that successive groups in a period have different numbers of flashes.

“Fl(2+1) 6s”: flash 0.3 s; eclipse 0.4 s; flash 0.3 s; eclipse 1.2 s; flash 0.3 s; eclipse 3.5 s

“Fl(2+1) 10s”: flash 0.5 s; eclipse 0.7 s; flash 0.5 s; eclipse 2.1 s; flash 0.5 s; eclipse 5.7 s

•Quick (Q): light in which flashes are repeated at a rate of not less than 50 flashes per minutes but less than 80 flashes per minute.

oContinuous quick-flashing light: quick light in which a flash is regularly repeated.

“Q 1s”: flash 0.3 s; eclipse 0.7 s

oGroup quick-flashing light: quick light in which a specified group of flashes, specified in number, is regularly repeated.

“Q(3) 10s”: 2(flash 0.3 s; eclipse 0.7 s); flash 0.3 s; eclipse 7.7 s
“Q(9) 15s”: 8(flash 0.3 s; eclipse 0.7 s); flash 0.3 s; eclipse 6.7 s

oGroup quick-flashing and long-flash light: light in which a group of quick flashes is followed by a single long flash.

“Q(6) + LFl 15s”: 6(flash 0.3 s; eclipse 0.7 s); flash 2.0 s; eclipse 7.0 s

•Very Quick (VQ): very quick-flashing light in which a flash is regularly repeated at a rate of not less than 80 flashes per minute but less than 159 flashes per minute (usually either 100 or 120 flashes per minute).

oContinuous very quick-flashing light: very quick light in which a flash is regularly repeated.

“VQ 0.5s”: flash 0.2 s; eclipse 0.3 s

oGroup very quick-flashing light: very quick light in which a specified group of flashes, specified in number, is regularly repeated.

“VQ(3) 5s”: 2(flash 0.2 s; eclipse 0.3 s); flash 0.2 s; eclipse 3.8 s
“VQ(9) 10s”: 8(flash 0.2 s; eclipse 0.3 s); flash 0.2 s; eclipse 5.8 s

oGroup very quick-flashing and long-flash light: light in which a group of very quick flashes is followed by a single long flash.

“VQ(6) + LFl 10s”: 6(flash 0.2 s; eclipse 0.3 s); flash 2.0 s; eclipse 5.0 s

•Morse Code (Mo): light in which flashes of light of two clearly different durations are grouped to represent a character or characters in the Morse Code.

o“Mo(A) 6s”: flash 0.3 s; eclipse 0.6 s; flash 1.0 s; eclipse 4.1 s

Alternating (Al) Light: rhythmic light exhibiting different colours during each cycle.

Column 5 – Focal Height Above Water

Focal height of a light is above Higher High Water Large Tides, except in the St. Lawrence River west of Trois-Rivières, in the St. Lawrence Seaway, in the Great Lakes and in other inland waters where it is above chart datum.

The focal height is given in metres (m).

Column 6 – Nominal Range

The nominal range of a light used as a marine aid to navigation is its luminous range in a homogeneous atmosphere in which the meteorological visibility is 10 nautical miles.

The nominal range is given in nautical miles (NM). It is in upright and bold type when it is greater than or equal to 15 NM, and in upright type when it is less than 15 NM.

Column 7 – Description and Height of Structure Above Ground Level

For buoys, the shape and colour(s) of the buoy is described, along with its designator (if applicable).

For fixed aids, the shape and colours of the structure and daymark are described (if applicable).

•For range lights: if a daymark is mentioned, but no shape is described, then it can be assumed that the shape of the daymark is trapezoidal.

•The height of the structure above ground level will be indicated in a separate section underneath the aid description (if applicable).

Column 8 – Remarks, Audible Signals and AIS

This column is dedicated to any notable remarks regarding an aid to navigation, including separate sections for audible signals and AIS aids to navigation (if applicable).

•Private aid (as applicable)

•Period of service of the aid to navigation (applies to all aids)

oSeasonal: AtoN that is in service for a certain service period, usually determined by winter weather.
oSeasonal (in place year round): AtoN that has a specific service period, but is not removed from its established position between periods.
oYear round: AtoN that is operational all-year round. This includes summer buoys with winter spar replacements.

•Winter spar (buoys only, if applicable)

o This mention indicates if a summer buoy is replaced by a winter spar during the winter season.

•Light operation (as applicable)

oThe light on an aid to navigation operates at night only, unless otherwise indicated here (such as day or 24 hours).

•Light flash character sequence (as applicable)

oThe flash and eclipse sequence of any uncommon light flash character or variation on common light flash characters described above will be indicated here.

•Arc of visibility (lighted fixed aids only, if applicable)

oThe light of an aid to navigation is visible from all points of marine approach, unless indicated here (e.g. sector lights). The bearings are given from seaward.

•Additional lights (lighted fixed aids only, if applicable)

oIf there are any additional lights to the main light (such as a secondary light, emergency light/mode, locator light or aeronautical light), then they will be indicated here with their light characteristic.

Note: The light characteristic of “Emergency Mode” will not be indicated as it is always Iso 1s.

•Radar reflector (shore lights only, if applicable)
•Additional remarks (as applicable)

oAll other remarks will be listed here such as VHF activation procedures.

The “Audible Signals” section will indicate:

•the type of audible signal (bell, fog horn or whistle) and

•any other pertinent information (such as the sequence of blast and silence for fog horns).

The “AIS” section will indicate:

•the type of AIS AtoN (physical, virtual or synthetic AIS AtoN),
•the MMSI number, and
•the AtoN Type, as defined by The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), for virtual AIS AtoN.

Column Descriptions for the RACON Annex

Column 1 – National Number

The national number (No.) is a number assigned to an aid to navigation to service a specific position. It is unique to its proper volume and can be one to eight digits long, including four decimal places.

If the RACON is part of a lighted aid, then this will be the same number as found in the table of lights.

Column 2 – Name

The name of an aid to navigation is based off official geographical names as per the Canadian Geographical Names Database by Natural Resources Canada. When there is no official name that is applicable to the aid, then local names would be used instead.

If the RACON is part of a lighted aid, then this will be the same name as found in the table of lights.

Column 3 – Geographic Positions

The geographic positions of all aids to navigation listed in this volume are shown in degrees, minutes and seconds and are given in the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) with an accuracy to a tenth of second.

Column 4 – Morse Code Identifier

This column indicates the Morse Code letter and equivalent coded signal.

Column 5 – Radar Bands

This column indicates the radar band(s) that the RACON operates in.

Column 6 – Period of Service

This columns indicates the period of service of the aid.

Information Relating to Lights

Conversion Table for Heights and Distances (Metres to Feet)

1 NAUTICAL MILE = 1852 metres

Note:

The following conversion factors may also be of assistance:

•multiply feet by 0.3048 to obtain metres
•divide metres by 0.3048 to obtain feet

Table of Distances

Table of Distances at which objects can be seen at sea, according to their respective elevations and the elevation of the eye of the observer.

Example: An observer whose eye is 12 metres above the water can see a light having an elevation of 40 metres above the water at a distance of: 7.2 + 13.1 = 20.3 nautical miles.

Nomogram (Geographical Range)

By using the above Nomogram, a geographical range can be determined by placing a straight edge against the height of the respective light and the height of the observer above water level.

Canadian Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Offices

ATLANTIC REGION Regional Headquarters P.O. Box 5667 St. John’s, NL A1C 5X1 Operations Supervisor, Aids to Navigation 175 McIlveen Drive Saint John, NB E2L 4B3 Telephone:1-506-636-4708 (B) MCTSRefer to RAMN (H/N) Navigational Warnings Telephone:1-709-695-2168 (B) (H/N) 1-902-564-7751 (B) (H/N) 1-800-686-8676 (B) (H/N) (TF) Email:NAVWARN.MCTSPortAuxBasques@innav.gc.ca  NAVWARN.MCTSSydney@innav.gc.ca ARCTIC REGION Yellowknife, NTSuperintendent Navigational Programs 5120 49th Street, 3rd Floor Yellowknife, NT X1A 1P8 Telephone:1-867-444-0109 (E) Email:DFO.CCGArcticAidsNavigation-AidesalaNavigationArctiqueGCC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Navigational Warnings Telephone: 1-867-979-5269 (B) (H/N) Email:NAVWARN.MCTSIqaluit@innav.gc.ca

CENTRAL REGION St. Lawrence Sector Québec, QCSuperintendent, Aids to Navigation Supervisor, Operations 1550, Avenue D’Estimauville Québec, QC G1J 5E9 Telephone:1-418-649-6999 (B) 1-581-443-6293 (B) Email:DFO.AtoNStLawrence-StLaurentAalaN.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Great Lakes Sector Sarnia, ONSupervisor, Operations Aids to Navigation 520 Exmouth Street Sarnia, ON N7T 8D1 Telephone:1-226-402-1052 (E) 1-705-773-4342 (E) Email:DFO.CCGCentralAtoNGreatLakes-GrandsLacsAalaNCentreGCC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca MCTS Refer to RAMN (H/N) Navigational Warnings Telephone : 1-613-925-0666(B) (H/N) Email : AVNAV.SCTMPrescott@innav.gc.ca   WESTERN REGION Victoria, BCSuperintendent Aids to Navigation and Waterways 25 Huron Street Victoria, BC V8V 4V9 Telephone:1-250-450-2600 (E) 1-800-667-2179 (TF) Email:DFO.CCGWesternAidstoNavigation-AidesalaNavigationOuestGCC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Navigational Warnings Telephone:1-250-627-3070 (H/N) Email: NAVWARN.MCTSPrinceRupert@innav.gc.ca

(B) Bilingual Service (E) English Only Service (TF) Toll Free (H/N) Holidays and Nights