Latest news with #motorizedwatercraft
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Yahoo
Should Humber Bay Park ban motorized boats? For safety, this Toronto resident group says yes
A group of Etobicoke residents living on Toronto's waterfront is pushing for the Humber Park shoreline to be the latest in the city where motorized watercrafts are banned, saying reckless boating is endangering swimmers and wildlife in the area. 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 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."
CBC
10-08-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Should Humber Bay Park ban motorized boats? For safety, this Toronto resident group says yes
Social Sharing A group of Etobicoke residents living on Toronto's waterfront is pushing for the Humber Park shoreline to be the latest in the city where motorized watercrafts are banned, saying reckless boating is endangering swimmers and wildlife in the area. 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. WATCH | Motorized watercraft barred from Hanlan's Point Beach shoreline: Hanlan's Point Beach gets safety 'bubble zone' to keep away boats, watercrafts 2 months ago 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."
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Yahoo
Should Humber Bay Park ban motorized boats? For safety, this Toronto resident group says yes
A group of Etobicoke residents living on Toronto's waterfront is pushing for the Humber Park shoreline to be the latest in the city where motorized watercrafts are banned, saying reckless boating is endangering swimmers and wildlife in the area. 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 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."
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Yahoo
As Toronto aims to ban motorized watercraft at popular beach, some blame 'bad actors'
Toronto has moved to ban motorized watercraft from one of its busiest beaches by next year due to concerns over unsafe operators and illegal rentals, but one rental company says the city should instead focus on regulations that weed out "bad actors" in the industry. City council passed a motion last week requesting that PortsToronto ban boats and personal watercrafts such as Jet Skis 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 watercraft without proper boating permits and operating them unsafely. 'I'm relieved that this was passed because job No. 1 of local government is to keep our residents safe,' said Coun. Brad Bradford, who introduced the motion and represents Ward 19 Beaches — East York. Bradford said the ban request was spurred by concerns over unlicensed rental companies that operate and park their watercraft along the beach, and "reckless" drivers that put swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders at risk. 'They're a menace to the community,' Bradford said. 'It's a matter of time before somebody gets injured or killed." Earlier this summer, a motorized watercraft exclusion zone was introduced at Hanlan's Point Beach on Centre Island, extending 200 metres off the shore as part of a pilot project for this year's boating season. Some residents of Etobicoke in the city's west end have also started petitions calling for a similar exclusion ban in Humber Bay. Earlier this month, Toronto police carried out an enforcement blitz targeting illegal watercraft rentals and unsafe boating practices in the city, issuing more than 50 tickets for provincial offences and dozens of bylaw charges. 'These guys come out, pay the fine, and just go right back out into their operations and they're making so much money on it,' said Bradford. Police said in an emailed statement that they respond to as many as 10 complaints per day related to unsafe watercraft rentals, including riders steering too close to shorelines and entering designated swim zones. Toronto police say another "huge concern" is that many personal watercraft operators don't have proof of competency, as required by Transport Canada. For people renting a boat or a Jet Ski, that means running through protocols and signing a safety checklist with the rental company. Those operating Jet Skis and similar watercraft within Toronto's harbour from Humber Bay to Ashbridge's Bay also require a permit from PortsToronto known as a 'powered vessel operator's permit,' said Mike Riehl, the authority's director of harbour operations. But some watercraft rental companies say despite following all the rules, they are being lumped in with a few 'bad actors' that are ruining operations for the rest through unsafe business practices. They are urging city council to reconsider the latest ban along Toronto's shores. Raj Mehta, one of the founders of rental company Jetti, said that while he supports cracking down on unsafe and irresponsible operators, watercraft bans at city beaches also penalize businesses like his that operate safely. 'We're at the ramp and on the water almost every day and we witness the safety issues the city is bringing up,' he said. 'There are some operators that should not be operating.' Jetti sends its watercraft out of Humber Bay West, an area outside of PortsToronto's jurisdiction, he said. Mehta said his company follows safety regulations by having insurance, GPS-based speed controls on Jet Skis to respect no wake zones, and issues proof of competency through rental boat safety checklists. 'We use the public dock but we don't actually leave any watercraft in the water … when they come back, we pull them onto trailers and they're out of here,' he said, adding that many other operators leave their watercraft along the shore. 'Anyone can go buy a few Jet Skis and call themselves a rental company and start renting these out because there is no regulation,' he said. 'These are the guys causing the safety issues, these are the people that are not respecting public space.' Mehta said he is willing to work with the city to figure out a solution that would focus on regulation, such as setting up designated launches for personal watercraft away from public beaches and boat launch areas, or leasing space from the city. Despite reaching out to a local councillor and the mayor's office, Mehta said he has not received responses to his proposals and requests. Companies looking to work with the city can reach out and make proposals but 'none of that's happened,' Bradford said, adding that an amendment to his motion to create a stakeholder advisory committee could include rental companies. While Bradford recognizes the entire industry isn't breaking operational and safety rules, based on his observations at Woodbine Beach he believes rental companies aren't interested in working with the city. He said they could look into leasing boat slips across the waterfront if they want to continue their operations. Mehta said his company has already explored renting space from marinas but there are a 'whole bunch of issues' with that option as marinas in the inner harbour fall under PortsToronto's jurisdiction, which requires boaters to have specific permits that would be difficult to obtain for short-term renters. 'Jet Ski usage tends to negatively impact boaters and the boating experience in the harbour, so marinas are unlikely to want to cater to Jet Ski companies,' said Riehl from PortsToronto, adding that no marina in its jurisdiction rents space to such operators. Mehta said he still hopes the city can figure out a solution that prioritizes safe and fair access to the waterfront and doesn't push away those who are trying to follow the rules. 'We just want to get some attention to this because I think it's kind of reached a boiling point and everyone wants something done,' Mehta said. "A lot of our customers are local and a lot of them are also tourists, so there's a lot of impact if this industry is shut down." This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025. Vanessa Tiberio, The Canadian Press
CBC
19-06-2025
- CBC
Group files court action to overturn Parks Canada ban on motorized watercraft for Clear Lake
An advocacy group for Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park has filed an application for a judicial review of Parks Canada's decision to once again ban motorized watercraft in the battle against zebra mussels. "This is not a move we take lightly. Our goal is not conflict — it is collaboration," Fairness for Clear Lake, a coalition of cottage owners and businesses around the park in western Manitoba, wrote in a news release on Wednesday. The group, which filed the application June 16, wants a judge to declare the decision "invalid or unlawful" and order the attorney general of Canada to allow motorized watercraft back onto the lake. Parks Canada announced in May that it made the "difficult decision" to impose the boating restrictions for a second consecutive summer "to protect the health of Clear Lake." Under the ban, non-motorized watercraft — including kayaks, canoes and inflatables — can still operate under certain conditions, which include an annual permit, limitations on which bodies of water are used, an inspection and a cleaning protocol. That decision was made without meaningful consultation, clear evidence or regard for the economic, cultural and community impacts it would have, a news release from Fairness for Clear Lake says. "While legal action is not our preferred path, there has been no meaningful progress from Parks Canada in engaging stakeholders, providing evidence or working toward a collaborative solution," it says. "After months of outreach and silence, this became our only viable option to protect the interests of our community." CBC News has requested comment from Parks Canada but has not yet received a response. In 2023, after zebra mussel environmental DNA was found in Clear Lake water, Parks Canada instituted a "one boat, one lake" policy for Clear Lake that required a boat to only be used there and on no other body of water. Environmental DNA is genetic material shed by organisms into their environment. Sources include feces, shed skin or carcasses. Any time a boat was removed from the lake, it had to be tagged and sealed to the trailer. If the tag was tampered with, the boat was not allowed back on the lake. Fears about the invasive species were realized in November that year, when the first zebra mussels were discovered at Boat Cove, in the south edge of the lake. The following summer, Parks Canada set up a two-kilometre underwater curtain at Boat Cove in an attempt to contain them. The effort failed when the curtain dislodged days after installation. Watercraft were banned for 2024 to protect the lake and prevent any further spread of zebra mussels. Still, hundreds of live juvenile zebra mussels were found in September, attached to docks and other structures near the east end of the lake. In January 2025, Parks Canada said the full extent of the zebra mussel infestation is yet unknown but acknowledged that eradicating them was no longer feasible — it would require identifying the entire population, then isolating and containing them apart from the rest of the lake. The federal agency said it would continue to monitor water quality in Clear Lake and determine how to manage things now that zebra mussels are established. It also said it would implement the "one boat, one lake" policy for 2025. But in May, it reinstated the full ban "suddenly, and without consultation from the community," the court filing from Fairness for Clear Lake says. It goes on to say Parks Canada has lost its way, shifting from what used to be a global icon of conservation, community and Canadian identity to an autocratic institution making unilateral decisions. "This is bigger than Clear Lake. This is about restoring belief in the idea that government can serve the people with integrity. It's about safeguarding not just natural spaces, but the democratic values that shape our country," the release says.
