Wake Surfing and Engine Power Limits

Summary#

This is a proposed amendment, published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on June 17, 2023, from Transport Canada to change the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (a set of federal boating rules under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001). If adopted, it would give local authorities new tools to limit engine power and target wake‑surfing, add 21 local restrictions on six waterways, clarify fishing and Indigenous exemptions, and let signage rules be updated more quickly. There is a public comment period of 60 days after publication.

What it does#

• Lets local authorities set engine power limits on any body of water (instead of only in parks or controlled-access waters).
• Creates a separate wake‑surfing prohibition schedule (so authorities can ban wake‑surfing without banning all towing sports).
• Adds 21 new, site‑specific restrictions on six waterways: Big Tub Harbour, Richelieu River, Saint‑Maurice River, Duhamel Lake, Pinawa Channel, and Lee River. Those include new speed limits, towing/wake bans, and some full vessel prohibitions in places.
• Explicitly adds federal fishing licence holders to an existing exemption that previously named only provincial licences.
• Makes clear that people exercising Indigenous rights (as recognized in section 35 of the Constitution) are exempt from certain restrictions.
• Removes detailed technical rules about signs from the regulations and incorporates them by reference into Transport Canada’s signage guidance (TP 15400E) so signage can be updated more quickly.
• Designates port enforcement officers employed by the Windsor Port Authority so they can enforce local restrictions in the Windsor port area.
• Fixes a few geographic coordinates and wording errors in the schedules.
• Notes that fines for new wake‑surfing offences would require corresponding updates to the Contraventions Regulations before ticketing for those specific wake‑surfing bans can begin.

Who's affected#

• Local authorities (municipalities and other bodies) that manage lakes, rivers and harbours. They may apply for, pay for, install and maintain new signs and buoys.
• Recreational boaters, especially people who wake‑surf, tow (waterski, tube) or use higher‑powered engines on the named waterways.
• Businesses that offer towing or wake‑sport services near the affected bodies of water.
• Indigenous peoples (the proposal clarifies their exemption where they are exercising constitutionally protected rights).
• Holders of federal fishing licences (now explicitly treated like provincial permit holders for these exemptions).
• Enforcement agencies and officers, including the Windsor Port Authority, local police, and other designated marine enforcement staff.
• Nearby residents who may notice quieter waters, different recreational uses, or changes to access.

Why it matters#

• Gives local communities clearer, more targeted ways to manage safety and shoreline damage. For example, wake‑surfing can cause shoreline erosion and safety conflicts; the new options let authorities ban that activity without blocking other towing sports.
• Affects what people can do on certain lakes and river stretches: new speed limits and activity bans mean less room for some motorized recreation in the named areas.
• Helps enforcement: engine power limits are usually easier to check than speed on the water, and adding local enforcement designations (Windsor) broadens who can enforce the rules.
• Speeds up signage changes by moving technical detail out of the regulations and into a publication Transport Canada can update faster.
• There are costs. Transport Canada estimates total implementation costs of about $3.17 million over ten years (present value), of which about $3.01M would fall on impacted local authorities and $0.16M on the federal government. One example: about 93 authorities with existing towing bans would need new wake‑surfing signs at roughly $1,000 each (about $93K total).
• This is a proposal, not final law. It needs to clear the consultation and final publishing steps (Part II) before it comes into force. The source is detailed about measures, costs and consultation responses. Where the document leaves questions (for example, precise start dates if finalized), that would be determined when the rules are registered.