Here we use BCU and CRCA ( Canadian Recreational Canoe Association )
awards when describing club tours.
We find at a club level it allows us room to warn brand new out of the
box beginners that this trip may be a little over their head.
We qualify it by saying CRCA 1 ( BCU 3) or equivilent.
We make no attempt to enforce our dictetes because there are some
exceptional paddlers here that have never taken a course.
The reason to allow people to pre qualify themselves works well as the
olly rational for such qualificatiobns is not so much to keep people
safe as to ensure some other club member is not forced into a 4 KM tow.

Renters here have moved from asking little skitt testing questions, to
asking about leadership and qualifications then back to asking nothing.

The reasoning is legal.
To ask someone about a skill level then rent them a piece of equipment
is a suggestion that that skill, that equipment and these people are
capable of paddling around what ever place they mention. Conditions
change and participants lie.
Just my views
Alex