Evidence of meeting #136 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was waves.
A video is available from Parliament.
Associate Professor, Carleton University, As an Individual
I have no data on that. We don't know.
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Okay.
Since 2019, when you conducted your earlier studies, has recreational boating in any way decreased along the Ottawa River?
Professor, University of Ottawa, As an Individual
As was said earlier, there did appear to be an increase in boating during COVID, and that was because people could be outside, but since 2019, I think there's been an increase.
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Okay.
Just to clarify, has that had an ecological impact on local fish species?
Professor, University of Ottawa, As an Individual
I'll let you address that one on the ecology.
Associate Professor, Carleton University, As an Individual
We don't know about that, but we've been collecting data on it. Our project is one year old now, so we don't have anything before COVID or before the carbon tax to compare to.
In terms of boating, we're doing our study in the Rideau waterway, which is a pretty modified waterway from canal construction. There are a lot of factors going on there, including water drawdown in the winter and things like that. It would probably be hard to attribute—
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
I have one quick question.
Has recreational boating impacted our national historic site on the Rideau Canal? Is that eroding the banks of the Rideau Canal?
Associate Professor, Carleton University, As an Individual
Erosion you might know about better, Colin.
Professor, University of Ottawa, As an Individual
I think the study we're doing is evaluating that, and we have seen some bank recession. Attributing it solely to pleasure craft use, of course, is a challenge, and that's why numerical modelling will help.
Associate Professor, Carleton University, As an Individual
I would just add that a lot of the Rideau Canal shoreline has been hardened, too, by property owners concerned about erosion on their property, so they're investing their money into it. In their opinion, recreational boating is part of the story there.
Conservative
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
When British Columbians visit the national capital, it's something that they really love to visit.
Thank you.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Schiefke
Thank you very much, Mr. Vis.
Mr. Lauzon, you have the floor for five minutes.
Liberal
Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My colleague Mr. Vis is now aware of the environment and climate change.
Let me ask you a question about climate change in your study.
You talked a lot about shoreline damage.
Have you also looked at all the effects of climate change, such as increased winds and how this affects waves?
Professor, University of Ottawa, As an Individual
It's a good question.
I would say that no, we have not at this point specifically looked at climate change. I will say that in the study on the St. Lawrence River, which is not the Rideau River, we are looking at possible changes in waves due to wind events. For the study on the Rideau River, no, we have not looked at that.
Liberal
Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC
You also spoke about pollution. What about the noise level?
I'm a good customer of marinas, in Ontario. I know the Ottawa River well, as well as the Rockland waterfront and the Rideau Canal. One of my favourite restaurants is there.
You provided an important piece of data. You said that high-wake boats don't cause damage near marinas, because boaters respect the regulations. I've had the opportunity to see this for myself.
Have you looked at places where some boaters don't respect the rule that you shouldn't sail within 300 metres of the shoreline?
Associate Professor, Carleton University, As an Individual
We observed that the boats were respecting the no-wake zone near the marina. That's something we plan on looking at this summer, by broadening that study. It will still be on the Rideau River, but in sections where they have posted no-wake zones versus sections where they have not posted no-wake zones, we'll see if there's a clear decrease in wakes when there's a posted sign.
Associate Professor, Carleton University, As an Individual
Were you asking if we were going to look elsewhere regarding the noise? Is that what you were asking?
I'm sorry. I might have missed something.
Liberal
Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC
In your study, have you been aware of the noise and would people complain about the noise of the boat?
Associate Professor, Carleton University, As an Individual
No. I've heard that anecdotally, but I don't have good data to support that. From talking to people, my own personal opinion is that the wakesurfing boats are all very loud, and the music goes up automatically when the surf's up. In the wakesurfing boat that we did our test on, for example, there's a button you can push to make the engine even louder. That does bother certain people on the waterway, I've heard.
Liberal
Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC
During your study, you found that there were 62 pleasure boats per hour that went by at this location. We know that there is police surveillance on the water. Personally, I was stopped twice this summer.
Is police surveillance relevant? Have you considered this aspect? I know this affects your study a little indirectly, but I think surveillance can have positive effects.
According to your study, is repression an effective approach?
Professor, University of Ottawa, As an Individual
I looked back to Steve and he said no.
Associate Professor, Carleton University, As an Individual
I don't think we saw any police on the waterway. In the Rideau, we didn't really see them. We did see, I think, some conservation officers around fishing.
Liberal
Stéphane Lauzon Liberal Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC
I think my time is almost up.
I'm told I have 20 seconds left.
Okay, I have enough time for another question.
You talked about the diversity of boat types on bodies of water, for example personal watercraft, fishing boats and other boat types that often have to cohabit.
How would you describe the cohabitation that exists between all boaters, in your case? The other witnesses mostly came to talk about small bodies of water, which are more reserved for pleasure craft.
Do you think that separate corridors should be set up for each category of craft, or have you found instead that there is good cohabitation?