Canadian Marine Manufacturers Association - Profile

The Canadian Marine Manufacturers Association (CMMA) was founded in March 1993 to preserve and promote recreational boating and the industry in Canada. This covers two main activities:

• Promoting the enjoyment of recreational boating and helping boat owners understand boating rules and regulations.
• Representing the interests of the companies that manufacture and distribute recreational boating products.

The CMMA has 80 member companies that produce and market a variety of recreational boating products and services. These range from boats and motors to raw materials, accessories and services essential to recreational boating in Canada and the global marketplace.

These companies are directly responsible for producing goods and services worth more than $1 billion and employ over 5,000 Canadians. This represents about 50 per cent of the total manufacturing output of the Canadian recreational boating sector. In addition, the retail and service sectors of the industry account for $500 million in sales, making recreational boating an important source of jobs in many communities.

The CMMA has become known as the voice of the Canadian marine industry through carrying out such activities as:

• working with governments at all levels on such issues as boating safety, technical standards for boats and engines, international trade, technical support to industry, environmental standards;
• educating boat owners in such areas as safety and environment;
• acting as the champion for the needs of the industry and its customers when developing legislation or regulations;
• arranging public relations and public affairs events and activities for the recreational boating industry;
• marketing and promoting the industry;
• collecting statistics and conducting market research to support the development of the industry.