Should Humber Bay Park ban motorized boats? For safety, this Toronto resident group says yes
The Friends of Humber Bay Park group wants the city to implement a motorized watercraft exclusionary zone for the park's shoreline, similar to a 200-metre bubble zone that was recently put in place at Hanlan's Point Beach on the Toronto Islands.
The group's president, Mike Janetakes, says dangerous boating is common near the Humber Bay Park shore, especially from Jet Ski renters.
"Our biggest concern is inexperienced boaters," he told CBC Radio's Metro Morning earlier this week, saying Jet Ski rentals don't require licences, training or insurance.
Just last week, two Jet Skis collided in the water near Humber Bay Park, according to Toronto police, sending one man to hospital with a leg injury. Police did not say whether the Jet Skis were rented.
It's incidents like that that have Friends of Humber Bay Park concerned for wildlife, swimmers, canoers and kayakers close to shore, said Janetakes. But he said he's hopeful the city will take action.Toronto council passed a motion last month requesting that PortsToronto ban boats and personal watercrafts within at least 150 metres of the shoreline at Woodbine Beach in the city's east end by June 2026.
The motion also condemns "illegal" rental business practices at the beach and nearby Ashbridges Bay, such as using and storing watercrafts without proper boating permits and operating them unsafely.
Coun. Amber Morley, who represents Etobicoke-Lakeshore where Humber Bay is located, added an amendment to the motion, asking city staff to "explore opportunities" of applying the motorized watercraft exclusion zone at Hanlan's Point to similar areas, including Humber Bay Park West and East.
Inexperienced operators a problem, police say
Toronto police's marine unit ran a four-day initiative last month targeting unsafe boating practices and unlicensed personal watercraft rentals on the city's waterfront.
Between July 9 and 12, police issued over 60 tickets — adding up to over $12,000 in fines — primarily for safety equipment violations and licensing issues, according to a police news release.
Over 20 bylaw charges were also laid during the initiative, including for illegal mooring and unauthorized business operations, and 14 Sea-Doos were towed.
"Each summer, the Marine Unit responds to as many as 10 complaints a day related to [personal watercrafts] — most often involving speeding, operating too close to shorelines, entering designated swim zones, and generally unsafe behaviour," police said in the release.
"Many of these complaints involve inexperienced operators who have received little or no training prior to getting on the water."Jet Ski rental operator wants more regulation
Janetakes says Friends of Humber Bay would also like to see "legislation for Jet Skiers to have training, proper training, and proper insurance."
Raj Mehta, co-founder of Jetti, a Toronto-based Jet Ski rental company, says his company is also pushing for more regulation. But he says most reckless Jet Ski behaviour comes from people riding their own watercrafts or renting from unauthorized operators.
His company's watercrafts have built-in control modules that sense when the Jet Ski is too close to shore and automatically slow it down, he said. But renters aren't required to have safeguards, or to train clients.
"It's cash for keys with some companies," he said. "We've been trying to work with the city to get some sort of licensing framework in place … like mandate insurance, mandate control modules, mandate training."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Nominations now open for the 2025 Canadian Banks' Law Enforcement Awards
TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Canadian Banks' Law Enforcement Award (CBLEA) from banks and law enforcement agencies across Canada. Through the CBLEA, the banking sector honours members of law enforcement who go above and beyond the call of duty to fight financial crimes and protect Canadians, bank employees and the financial system. 'It has always been top priority for banks in Canada to safeguard their customers' financial and personal information and protect our financial system,' said Anthony Ostler, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Bankers Association. 'Since 1972, the CBLEA has been recognizing law enforcement officers for their exemplary service in combatting financial crimes. We look forward to reviewing the new nominations and celebrating the work of deserving recipients.' Nominations must be submitted to the CBA by October 20, 2025 and the awards will be presented at the annual summit of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police in 2026. The nomination form is available here and completed forms should be submitted to [email protected] for consideration. Eligibility criteria The CBLEA can be presented to sworn members of law enforcement, including special constables, and sworn auxiliary peace officers, in recognition of exceptional achievement in an investigation involving banks in Canada. Awards may be presented for either individual or group (Team) achievement. The criteria for nominations are as follows: Additional information about the nomination process and eligibility requirements can be found on the CBA website. Nominations may be submitted by members of law enforcement or bank security personnel. About the Canadian Banks' Law Enforcement Award Since its creation in 1972, over 300 officers and law enforcement staff from across Canada have been honoured with the Canadian Banks' Law Enforcement Award for their outstanding bravery, dedication, and other noteworthy achievements in combating crimes against Canada. About the Canadian Bankers Association The Canadian Bankers Association is the voice of more than 60 domestic and foreign banks that help drive Canada's economic growth and prosperity. The CBA advocates for public policies that contribute to a sound, thriving banking system to ensure Canadians can succeed in their financial goals. Follow the CBA on Twitter: @CdnBankers Follow the CBA on LinkedIn SOURCE Canadian Bankers Association
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
What Happened to Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans? What We Know About the Influencers Who Died
The online community has continued to mourn influencers Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans after their deaths in August. Kaslo Search and Rescue (SAR) confirmed the deaths of the couple, who ran the YouTube channel Toyota World Runners, claiming that rescuers were called to the scene of an off-road motor vehicle accident on August 7 around 7:30 local time. "So it was on a forestry road, somewhere in the mountains, and quite a long ways north in the valley up towards ... the village of Trout Lake,' Mark Jennings-Bates, a manager of the Kaslo SAR, told Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), noting that rescuers had an accurate location for the incident. He continued, "Our teams were able to get to them efficiently. It's a long journey, but they got there efficiently. So that was very, very helpful. And of course that means that the helicopter pilot could also fly straight to the destination with confidence that he was going to find them." Scroll down for everything we know so far about Tourout and Yeomans' deaths: Where Were Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans Found? Tourout and Yeomans were found in British Columbia after falling downhill about 200 meters, which is roughly 656 feet, according to Jennings-Bates. He claimed that the pair rolled 'many, many times' during the incident. One of the victims allegedly had no vital signs in the vehicle while the other was taken to a hospital and later died. Jennings-Bates claimed that the rescue to locate Tourout and Yeomans was 'challenging' because of the uphill terrain, but noted that his team was able to do it "efficiently." The team has also allegedly responded to several calls around the location where the incident occurred. What Is Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans' Cause of Death? No cause of death has been shared at this time. What Caused Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans' Off-Roading Accident? While Jennings-Bates claimed that the exact cause of the accident was unclear, he suspected that Tourout and Yeoman lost control on the terrain. What Have Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans' Family Said About Their Deaths? The couple's family announced their deaths on August 11 alongside an image of Tourout and Yeoman smiling while standing in front of a mountain. 'With unimaginable heartache, the families of Matthew Peter Yeomans and Stacey Tourout would like to advise that we lost them both tragically succumbing to injuries in an offroad accident on Aug 7, 2025 in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia that they loved so much,' the statement shared via Facebook read. The message continued, 'Please keep us and them in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this devastating end to an amazing Love Story. They are together forever as we knew they would always be.' Did Stacey Tourout or Matthew Yeomans Initially Survive the Off-Roading Accident? Jennings-Bates told People that Tourout was still conscious when the team arrived at the scene of the incident, but suffered a 'severe head injury.' Tourout, who allegedly 'didn't realize quite how injured she was,' was lifted from the area by helicopter. She was then transferred to an ambulance that took her to a local hospital, where she died later that night. Jennings-Bates claimed that Yeomans had been ejected from the vehicle in the crash and had 'no vital signs' when the rescue team located his body. He noted that the couple crashed in an area with 'pretty rough terrain,' alleging that the vehicle fell roughly 200 meters (around 656 feet) down a 'steep boulder field.' Tourout reportedly remained in the vehicle until it came to a stop. 'From what I understand, it's one of the few patches of the road that doesn't have a forest on the side,' Jennings-Bates told the outlet. 'So anywhere else, they would've been caught by the trees — they would've maybe gotten a bit hurt. But this is the one area where they were gonna go for a big ride if they did go off the side road.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Influencer Stacey Tourout Initially Survived Fatal Off-Roading Accident With Fiance Matthew Yeomans
Influencer Stacey Tourout reportedly briefly survived the off-roading accident that took the life of fiancé Matthew Yeomans. Mark Jennings-Bates, a manager of the Kaslo Search and Rescue (SAR) team, told People on Friday, August 15, that Tourout was still conscious when the team arrived at the scene of the incident. Jennings-Bates, however, noted that Tourout suffered a 'severe head injury,' adding that 'she didn't realize quite how injured she was.' She was lifted from the area by helicopter and transferred to an ambulance that took her to a local hospital. Tourout died later that night. Yeomans, meanwhile, had been ejected from the vehicle during the crash. Jennings-Bates confirmed to People that Yeomans had 'no vital signs' when the rescue team found his body. Influencers Stacey Tourout, Matthew Yeomans Rolled 'Many Times' Before Fatal Off-Roading Accident Jennings-Bates called the area where the YouTube couple crashed a 'backcountry trail' with 'pretty rough' terrain. He noted that the vehicle fell roughly 200 meters (around 656 feet) down a 'steep boulder field.' Tourout allegedly remained in the vehicle until it came to a stop. 'From what I understand, it's one of the few patches of the road that doesn't have a forest on the side,' Jennings-Bates told the outlet. 'So anywhere else, they would've been caught by the trees — they would've maybe gotten a bit hurt. But this is the one area where they were gonna go for a big ride if they did go off the side road.' The couple's family announced their deaths on August 11, sharing a photo of Tourout and Yeomans smiling while standing in front of a mountain. 'With unimaginable heartache, the families of Matthew Peter Yeomans and Stacey Tourout would like to advise that we lost them both tragically succumbing to injuries in an offroad accident on Aug 7, 2025 in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia that they loved so much,' the statement shared via Facebook read. Influencer Couple Stacey Tourout and Matthew Yeomans Dead After Off-Roading Accident The message continued, 'Please keep us and them in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this devastating end to an amazing Love Story. They are together forever as we knew they would always be.' The deaths of the pair, who ran the YouTube channel Toyota World Runners, was confirmed by Kaslo SAR. The team claimed that rescuers were called to the scene for an off-road motor vehicle accident on August 7 around 7:30 local time. "So it was on a forestry road, somewhere in the mountains, and quite a long ways north in the valley up towards ... the village of Trout Lake,' Jennings-Bates told Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), noting that rescuers had an accurate location for the incident. Jennings-Bates continued, "Our teams were able to get to them efficiently. It's a long journey, but they got there efficiently. So that was very, very helpful. And of course that means that the helicopter pilot could also fly straight to the destination with confidence that he was going to find them."
