Canadian Association of Diving Contractors

If there’s one throughline in this issue of CADC Magazine, it’s this: excuses in our industry are not tolerated.

Not for skipping briefings.
Not for running inadequate crews.
Not for cutting corners because “it’s always been done this way.”

This one is reflected in every article you’ll read here. From criminal court rulings to offshore emergencies, from diver shortages to legacy preservation—this issue is a wake-up call.

We lead with the hard truth. In “No More Excuses,” we break down the King v. R. case, where a site supervisor’s negligence resulted in a young worker’s death—and a three-year prison sentence. The ruling was done this spring in New Brunswick. This wasn’t an offshore dive gone wrong. It was a land-based tragedy in another industry. But make no mistake— a reality of the consequences of not following Canada’s Bill C-45 (about the requirement to protect your workers) is set for all of us:. If you’re in a position of responsibility and fail to follow safety standards, the consequences can be criminal. That warning applies directly to our sector. Dive supervisors, project managers, clients—this is your red flag. This is reality. Not only can you face fines – you can face criminal charges – and jail!!

We follow it with “Last Breath”, where veteran DSS Dennis Barrington peels back the dramatics of a major saturation diving film to reveal a sobering reality: emergencies offshore don’t wait for permission. When the lights go out and a diver’s lifeline is severed, it’s the people on site—their training, experience, and split-second decisions—that save lives. Dennis connects this to his own history on the Grand Banks, where near-misses and rescues were part of the job, and where the margin for error was—and still is—razor thin.

We shift gears with “DCBC Update”, where Tracy Childs brings us the numbers we can’t ignore almost half of our newly certified divers leave the industry within two years. Training isn’t the issue—retention is. We need to rethink how we support divers through their early careers, how we make the work sustainable, and how we help qualified people return to the industry when they’re ready.

In “The Challenge of Telling Our Underwater Story”, Vickie Jensen captures the heart of British Columbia’s subsea legacy. From HYCO’s Pisces submersibles to Phil Nuytten’s Deep Rover, this province punched well above its weight in global undersea innovation. We need to invest in preserving that story before it slips below the surface. It’s more than history—it’s our origin story.

Then we take you to the frontlines in “Member Spotlight: ODS Marine”. This Ottawa-based company exemplifies what it means to operate safely, smartly, and with pride. Their barge systems, dive crews, and project scope show the kind of technical capability Canadian contractors bring to the table—and the culture of mentorship that keeps divers in the industry for the long haul.

Jonathan Chapple gives us a critical look ahead in “In Depth: CSA Z275.2 Update”. The next edition of Canada’s diving safety code is in the works, and it’s not just a refresh. With new sections on risk assessment, diving in currents, human factors, and the long-overdue formal definition of an underwater construction site, the standard is evolving to meet modern challenges. These aren’t theoretical changes—they’re the backbone of how we operate safely and legally.

And finally, we take a moment to honour one of our own. “Glen Costello Honoured” pays tribute to a man who led with integrity, fought for safer diving practices, and left a legacy that shaped both the CADC and Canada’s commercial diving standards. His Lifetime Achievement Award is richly deserved—and a reminder that leadership isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s just steady, persistent, and unshakable.

So where does that leave us?

Right here, in a moment of reckoning—and opportunity.
To raise the bar. To train better. To supervise better. To demand more from ourselves and the people who hire us. To do our job safely. To make it safer.
To say what needs to be said when a job isn’t safe.
And to mean it.

Because the next time a diver’s life is in your hands, there won’t be time to Google a dive standard or regulation.
You’ll either know what to do—or you won’t.
You’ll either have followed dive procedures as outline in CSA Z275.2— Diving Operations – or you didn’t.
You’ll either have planned for the worst—or hoped for the best.

The difference isn’t just professional. It’s personal. It’s legal. It can mean the difference between life or death.

As an association, CADC will keep promoting professionalism and safety. But this isn’t about policy. It’s about education. It’s about people.

People like Glen. People like your divers. People like you.

Stay professional. Stay informed. Stay safe. No more excuses.

Have a successful SAFE summer – everyone comes home at the end of the dive!

1. Here is a direct link to the digital: https://flip.matrixgroupinc.net/cadb/2025/summer/#page=1
2. And here is the link to the magazine page that has all the past issues: https://magazines.matrixgroupinc.net/cadc/