A floating electronic billboard that began cruising the waters of False Creek this week has been detained by Transport Canada.

"The vessel has been detained pending its registration and subsequent certification as a commercial vessel," a spokesperson from Transport Canada told CBC News Thursday in an email.

"In order to do so it must meet the requirements of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and appropriate marine safety regulations. It is not within Transport Canada's jurisdiction to determine if the vessel can operate with a billboard."

The boat is run by Burke Billboards, a company incorporated in B.C. last week, and has a 12-metre wide electronic billboard that will motor past past Science World, Granville Island and the seawall from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. PT seven days a week, according to the company's website.

Earlier Thursday, mayor Gregor Robertson said that the appearance of the boat was clearly a concern.

He said that city staff were following up and investigating whether the craft was legal or not.