Transport Committee on Oct. 31st, 2024

[Leila Dance, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Yes, definitely.

[Raynald Collard]

In the 1960s, the arrival of snowmobiles sort of set the scene for us. Do you remember that? It was total freedom. You could drive through other people's fields, smash fences or go into the forest. It was wonderful. The fact remains that, at some point, there were significant repercussions and people got angry. The owners decided that enough was enough.

I get the impression that we're experiencing the same thing now in the case of boating, which is quite recent in Quebec. Boating is a fairly new phenomenon, and we don't have a long tradition of fair play or respectful conduct of others. In the past, people couldn't afford to buy a boat. However, now they can and, as with snowmobiles, rules have to be enforced.

You were absolutely right to make the comparison with the highway code, Ms. Cloutier. If a mandatory code can be enforced on the road, it can just as easily be enforced on the water. The speed of a boat is very easy to measure with radar. There's no miracle there. It's just a bit of electronic equipment.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Philip Lawrence]

That is our time.

I'd like to thank all the witnesses for providing their excellent testimony and answering all the excellent questions as well.

That concludes our first panel. Thank you very much.

We will pause now for three minutes to get the new witnesses in, and it will be three minutes, because it's important for transportation that the trains be on time.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Philip Lawrence]

We are resuming.

We have some fabulous witnesses with us for this second hour. From Massawippi Blue we have Laurence Renaud-Langevin, general manager. The Village of Fraser Lake is represented by Sarrah Storey.

Each organization or witness will have five minutes for an opening statement. Then we will begin questioning, starting with the Conservatives and working our way all the way through our parties.

If we could start with you, Ms. Renaud-Langevin, that would be fantastic. You have five minutes, please.

[Laurence Renaud-Langevin, General Manager, Massawippi Blue]

Mr. Chair, distinguished members of the committee, thank you for granting me the opportunity to address you today.

I am Laurence Renaud‑Langevin, executive director of Massawippi Blue, a non-profit organization that has been in existence since 1968 in the province of Quebec. Our mission is to preserve and improve the health of the ecosystems of Lake Massawippi and its watershed. We work closely with various partners to achieve our goals.

I am also a scuba diving instructor and, in my role, I am responsible for the operation of a small vessel.

My remarks will be structured around two parts. I will summarize our peer-reviewed scientific article regarding the impact of navigation conduct on Lake Massawippi, and I will present a recommendation based on our studies and my experience.

In 2018, Transport Canada commissioned Massawippi Blue to study the impacts of motorized boats on southern Quebec lakes. Over two years, we monitored shoreline erosion and turbidity in Lake Massawippi, evaluating both natural and boat-induced effects to provide insights into how boating affects freshwater ecosystems and inform management practices.

We saw that phosphorus levels rise with turbidity and rainfall. The study indicated that boat waves contribute to sediment resuspension and phosphorus levels, highlighting the need for policies to minimize sediment disturbance. Leisure boating, a popular and economically significant activity, increases natural shoreline erosion by displacing soil, particularly in narrow channels. Propellers in shallow water disrupt sediment in areas up to nine metres deep, with natural factors like wind and rainfall further influencing turbidity.

Results showed correlations between boat traffic intensity, water turbidity and total phosphorus, with turbidity increasing with wind speeds and plankton levels, and decreasing with slope angle. Our results advocate for implementing or enhancing speed limit restrictions near shorelines, as demonstrated by a lake with a 10‑kilometre‑per‑hour limit within 100 metres or 300 feet of shore. A baseline should exist for every body of water in the country.

In light of all this, and based on my work experience as a diving instructor, my recommendation to strengthen environmental safety, as well as boating safety, would be to review the process for obtaining a pleasure craft operator's licence. I find it very hypocritical that it can take nearly 12 months to go through the steps required for a car driver's licence—not to mention the additional classes for certain categories of licence—while in only three hours, a person can obtain a boating licence. People can buy, launch and operate a boat without anyone ever checking their driving skills or their knowledge. Many, if not nearly all issues related to boating and environmental safety could be resolved—or at least greatly reduced—if we approached a pleasure craft operator's licence the same way we do a car licence.

Additionally, this approach would allow for better control and a natural separation between commercial and recreational boating. We could even introduce different classes for boating licences, much like those for cars and trucks. For example, a wake boat licence could require an extra course or skills check, and a higher registration fee could be charged, as these boats cause more environmental impact than a simple 12‑foot rowboat. This system could also generate funds to support environmental protection and conservation programs. It would create job opportunities as instructors would be needed to teach these skills. We would introduce all the boating and environmental safety concepts and evaluate them before allowing boat operators on the water, making it far easier to reinforce these skills and knowledge, rather than operators being made aware of them later and randomly.

We really see this as a societal project that restricts no one, but rather encourages a safe and responsible use of our waters, in addition to reinforcing environmental safety, which is directly related.

This measure could complement national regulation on recreational watercraft. It would have a baseline that could apply to all bodies of water, but the process would be simplified and alleviate the financial burden on municipalities, enabling them to manage their lakes and rivers in their own particular way.

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Philip Lawrence]

Thank you very much for your timely statement, Ms. Renaud-Langevin.

Next, we have Ms. Storey for five minutes, please.

[Sarrah Storey, Mayor, Village of Fraser Lake]

Thank you.

Good afternoon. My name is Sarrah Storey. I'm the mayor of the Village of Fraser Lake, which is a community in north central BC.

I'm in the Lakes District, an extremely beautiful place in rural northern B.C., which is right in the centre of British Columbia. If you're looking for us, we're just west of Prince George by an hour and a half. We're on the traditional territory of the Nadleh Whut'en and Stellat'en first nations.

The three communities and the region are facing massive economic downturns in mining and forestry. We are focusing on a variety of strategies, including tourism, to encourage growth and economic development. This will help us build a sustainable economy with or without industry.

That leads us into what we are doing with the lake that we live on and what is happening in our region with a level 5 drought as well. Right now we are seeing a level 5 drought.

We wrote a resolution in 2018 to deal with the water hazard buoys and water hazard issues we were seeing with the reefs on some of the lakes in our region, Francois Lake and Fraser Lake. I live on Fraser Lake, and François Lake is about 15 minutes from me. We passed that resolution at our area association. Then it went to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, where it was passed again, and then went off to the FCM.

We have these hidden reefs within our lakes. They are unmarked and they're causing safety concerns. As you can imagine, the lake levels were considerably higher in 2018. Now with our level 5 drought, we are seeing some major issues.

Just to add context to this conversation, the dam closest to us, the Nechako Reservoir, which creates electricity, is at critically low levels right now. At the end of the summer this year, it was 6.6 metres under normal average levels, which is huge. It has come up over two metres with some heavy rain and snow lately. That's great, but it's still four metres under average levels.

When I first learned we could not put water hazard buoys on these dangerous reefs due to liability concerns, we had to do some research to learn how we could get that issue solved. Hence we built a resolution, which I'm going to read to you in case some of you do not have it. It's short, so it shouldn't take too long:

And whereas, the Village of Fraser Lake is concerned that unmarked water hazards pose a threat to health and safety of persons involved in motorized water sports on freshwater lakes and rivers in British Columbia;

And whereas, the installation and maintenance of navigational markers and buoys will improve the safety of persons involved in motorized water activities:

Therefore be it resolved that the federal government install and maintain water hazard markers on known water hazards to protect lives and property on water ways in lakes, rivers and streams.

When local residents realized they also faced liability issues, they removed any and all markers they had out on the lakes as well.

The Village of Fraser Lake has been committed to protecting residents and tourists on local lakes. With the idea of moving into more tourism on our lake, we want to make sure we are really protecting people. Unfortunately, the hazard markers and the liability they have, we necessarily can't always take that on as municipalities. The downloading that we are already facing is pretty tough. Protecting boaters with water levels that are receding each summer—hopefully that does change, but we don't know how it's going to work with climate change—should be strategized to protect lives and property, and not at the cost of local governments or private citizens. That is a strategy we would like to look at. Our ask is that the federal Government of Canada provide municipalities the means to protect lives and property on waterways without liability to them.

In Transport Canada's navigation protection program's guide, “An Owner's Guide to Private Buoys”, there's a quote I'm going to share. It says, “In the event of an accident involving a private buoy, the owner(s) may be held liable for any resulting damages. This is why you should think about getting liability insurance coverage.” Municipalities like mine cannot necessarily afford to take this on, and I'm not sure what the capacity is for local governments to maintain water hazard buoys on these dangerous reefs.

If anybody wants a picture, I have a few pictures that I have created over the years of some of these reefs. They're in the middle of these large lakes, and you don't know they're there. I can share those with anyone who would like to see them.

I'm going to leave it there and give some time back.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Philip Lawrence]

That's perfect.

Both of you were right on with your timing. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

We're going to start our questions with the Conservatives and Dr. Lewis for six minutes.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

I want to thank the witnesses for coming here today.

My first question is for Mayor Storey.

You talked about tourism on the lake, and it seems to me that tourism is an important part of your community.

Can you give us more details about how tourism and recreational boating fit into your community?

[Sarrah Storey]

Right at this time, with the mine and with the sawmill closure, we are actually in the midst of looking at building a marina, a roundhouse restaurant, a discovery centre and a boutique hotel and trying to get a resort hotel in. The resort hotel won't be on the lake, but the boutique hotel would be, and that would be close to the marina, which would have a rental centre.

We are having to completely diversify and change our economy. We are looking at the lake, and we have a mountain that looks like a mouse and a nice pier already, but we have to diversify with what's happening here. We are in the midst of trying to figure out how to do that and to protect the lake and the reefs and the people on them. Knowing that we're an hour and a half from Prince George and that a lot of people like to come through to the north to travel, to hunt, to fish and to recreate, we want to make sure that people are safe on the lakes, because right now there are just no safety measures in place.

I noticed this in the previous session as well. If water sports are so important and injuries are a concern because people aren't paying attention to the rules.... Even the last speaker said there are people not paying attention. I have my boater's licence, but how often do you reassess and relearn what you've learned to make sure that you actually are paying attention to the rules? However, maybe we don't do that with driver's licences either. Maybe we should be doing that, but we won't get into that today.

Thanks for the question.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

In some of the evidence I've heard today, your approach seems to presume that you can balance environmental sustainability and protection of the lake with economic development. Is that correct?

[Sarrah Storey]

Well, that is the goal. The goal is to actually work with Nautley and Stellako to make sure we are preserving the lake.

Some of you won't know the lakes around here, but in the Lower Mainland, the lakes are insane. On Chilliwack Lake, there are hundreds of people who go boating every day, so it's a little busy. We don't want it to be that busy, but we want it to also be protected. We need to have rules in place to make sure that all of those things are being done. It's all about balance to us. I think most things are.

Yes, it's very important. We have a lot of fish to protect as well.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Right, and in building a marina and potentially a hotel and a restaurant, those businesses would be very connected to the lake. Would it not be in your best interest to also make sure that you protect the lake while you are engaging in the economic development of the area?

[Sarrah Storey]

Yes, and that is the goal and the plan.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Do you have any experience or have you heard of any issues pertaining to the disposal of flares in recreational boating? Has that come across your desk?

[Sarrah Storey]

No, we don't. We don't really have that issue up here. Because of the northern issues with the fires in B.C., you're not really allowed to have that. Nobody's setting off fireworks, and you don't see emergencies where people need to be setting off flares, hopefully. If they did, then there would obviously be a reason, so no, that's not something that we face here.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

With your plans to develop the area, have you encountered any taxes on pleasure boats or federal regulations that you anticipate may deter people from engaging in recreational boating?

[Sarrah Storey]

It depends on the person. Some people obviously are going to be upset with luxury taxes on boats over a certain cost or whatever it might be.

In the north, because most people are hunters or fishers, I find there's a lot of money going around with the Coastal GasLink areas. There are a lot of people in this area who have boats and who have grown up with boats. I haven't heard that to be the biggest issue we're facing right now. There are so many other issues that we're facing first.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Has your municipality applied for any changes to the vessel operation restriction regulations?

[Sarrah Storey]

Not at this time. We do not see big boats on this lake. We rarely even see a sailboat. We don't have huge boats on the lake.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Do you know why that is?

[Sarrah Storey]

The biggest boats we see are typically pontoon boats. It's a lot of local traffic only right now.

Since we do not have a marina at this time, we are not seeing as many boats on the lake, and we protect our lake quite well. We are on the highway, but people don't necessarily know the lake is there and don't know how great the lake is. We're protective of our fish, and we don't necessarily want thousands of people on the lake doing lots of damage. We want to make it a slow progress solution here to move us forward.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Philip Lawrence]

Thank you very much. That is the time.

I'm getting heckled here by the Liberal members. They wanted to hear more, just so you know, Ms. Storey. I'm sure you'll get another opportunity.

Mr. Lauzon, go ahead for six minutes, please.

[Stéphane Lauzon, Liberal, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'd like to thank the two witnesses for taking part in this meeting.

I will follow up with Mayor Storey.

From what I understood from your testimony, the luxury tax isn't a problem you have to manage in your area. However, you talked a lot about changes in water levels. You also talked about the impact of forest fires in the north and other changes that have been taking place for some time.

Do you think climate change has had an impact on the water quality of your reservoir?

[Sarrah Storey]

Yes, thank you for the question.

We know that climate change has had a direct impact on our water reservoir. There's never been a time when we've seen that level that I know of. It was 6.6 metres at the end of summer, which is what we were told. That means they are having to buy power in B.C. to cover what we need for energy. We've been talking about balance for a long time in the energy sector in British Columbia, and we're definitely seeing a lot of changes.

Fraser Lake is constantly in the news for wildfires all around us. We have a lot of beetle kill. We have a lot of issues with wildfire smoke, and that creates issues of its own with social isolation. We are constantly dealing with a lot of things with climate change.

If, all of sudden have, you have an atmospheric river, that also leads to lots of rain, very briefly. It will be a short amount of time. The ground is not soaking up that water quickly enough, and neither is the infrastructure that has been built. All of a sudden it creates a little bit of flooding in some of the businesses in town. We are seeing a lot of different things with climate change right now in northern B.C.

The lack of rain there has also been an issue. The water levels are also going to create algae issues and algae blooms when the water is getting warmer. That's what we're seeing as well. We're trying to find that balance. It's tough.