A Mother's Mission on Ottawa's Waterways
Ottawa, surrounded by the Ottawa River, Rideau River, and hundreds of recreational lakes within driving distance, is no stranger to the joys — and dangers — of boating season. Now, one local mother is using her devastating personal loss to push for change that could protect families across Canada.
Cara McNulty's son, Joshua Steinberg, was just 11 years old when he died in a boating accident. In the years since, McNulty has channelled her grief into advocacy, calling on lawmakers to introduce stricter life jacket requirements for recreational boaters.
Joshua's Story
Joshua was a child full of life — the kind of kid who made every room brighter. His death left a hole in his family that nothing can fill. But rather than retreat from the pain, McNulty made a choice: she would fight so that no other family would have to go through what hers did.
"If wearing a life jacket could have saved Joshua, then we need to make sure every child on the water is wearing one," McNulty has said in her advocacy work.
Her message is simple but urgent — life jackets save lives, and right now, Canadian law doesn't go far enough to make sure people actually wear them.
The Gap in Canadian Boating Law
Under current Transport Canada regulations, recreational vessels are required to carry life jackets or personal flotation devices (PFDs) on board — but there is no blanket requirement that they actually be worn. Wearing rules vary by province and age group, and enforcement on open water is notoriously difficult.
Drowning prevention advocates have long pointed to this gap as a critical failure. Statistics from the Lifesaving Society show that the vast majority of boating fatality victims were not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. In many cases, a life jacket was on board — just not on the person.
For families spending summer weekends on the water near Ottawa — whether on the Ottawa River, Lac des Chats, or the Rideau Lakes — this is a risk that plays out every season.
What McNulty Is Calling For
McNulty's advocacy centres on mandatory wear requirements, particularly for children. She wants to see federal legislation that mirrors rules already in place in some U.S. states, where children under a certain age must wear a life jacket at all times while on a moving vessel.
She's also calling for better public education campaigns around drowning prevention — because even well-intentioned families often underestimate how quickly a water emergency can unfold.
"It happens in seconds," she has noted. "You don't have time to put on a life jacket once you're in the water."
A Summer Safety Reminder for Ottawa Families
With the warm season officially here, Ottawa families are heading to the water in droves. Conservation areas, the Rideau Canal, and nearby lakes are all popular spots — and all come with real risks if safety isn't a priority.
Local safety organizations urge boaters to:
- Ensure properly fitted life jackets are available for every person on board
- Have children wear their life jackets at all times while on the water
- Check Transport Canada guidelines before heading out
- Never boat under the influence of alcohol
Cara McNulty's story is a heartbreaking reminder that accidents can happen to any family. Her advocacy deserves to be heard — and acted on.
Source: CBC Ottawa. Original interview by Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco. Watch the full segment on CBC.
