Safety equipment

A great question
Both Canoes and Kayaks require the following items onboard for use according to the Safe Boating Guide provided by Transport Canada
Please see the attached PDF below for further information
https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/migrated/tp_511e.pdf
Personal Lifesaving Appliances
1. One (1) lifejacket or PFD for each person on board
2. One (1) re-boarding device (See Note 1)
3. One (1) buoyant heaving line at least 15 m (49’3”) long
Visual Signals 
IF BOAT IS OVER 6M
4. One (1) watertight flashlight
5. Six (6) flares of Type A, B, C or D, only two (2) can be Type D. (See Note 2)
Vessel safety equipment
6. One (1) bailer OR OR One manual bilge pump (See Note 3) OR Bilge-pumping arrangements
Navigation Equipment
7. One (1) sound-signaling device or appliance
8. Navigation lights (See Note 4)
9. One (1) magnetic compass (See Note 5)
10. One (1) radar reflector (See Note 6)
Note 1 – Re-boarding Device A re-boarding device is only required if the vertical height that a person must climb to re-board the boat from the water (freeboard) is over 0.5 m (1’8”).
Note 2 – Flares
Flares were previously referred to as Type A, B, C, and D. These terms may still be found in some product literature. The table below explains the relationship.
FORMER TYPE DESIGNATION NEW DESCRIPTION
Type A Rocket parachute flare
Type B Multi-star flare
Type C Hand flare
Type D Smoke signal
Flares are not required for a boat that:
• is operating on a river, canal or lake in which it can never be more than one (1) nautical mile (1.852 km) from shore;
or • has no sleeping quarters and is engaged in an official competition or in final preparation for an official competition.
The number of flares required may be reduced by 50 percent (the number of smoke signals cannot exceed 50% of the number of smoke signals given in the tables above) if the boat has one of the following:
A means of two-way communication*;
A 406 MHz personal locator beacon** that is worn by the boat operator; or
A 406 MHz emergency position-indicating radio beacon
Note 3 – Bailer and Manual Bilge Pump A bailer or manual bilge pump is not required for a boat that cannot hold enough water to make it capsize or a boat that has watertight compartments that are sealed and not readily accessible.
Note 4 –  Navigation lights are only required if you operate the boat after sunset, before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility (fog, falling snow, etc.).
Note 5 – Magnetic Compass is not required if the boat is 8 m (26’3”) or less and you operate it within sight of navigation marks
Note 6 –  Radar reflectors are required for boats under 20 m (65’7”) and boats built of mostly non-metallic materials. A radar reflector is not required if:
• the boat is used in limited traffic conditions, daylight and favourable environmental conditions, and where having a radar reflector is not essential to the boat’s safety; or
• the small size of the boat or its operation away from radar navigation makes it impossible to install or use a radar reflector.