Weekend towing ban on Richelieu River

Summary#

This is an erratum published on July 1, 2023 that corrects a mistake in the regulatory impact analysis statement for the Regulations Amending the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations. The correction clarifies that the proposed change would ban towing and wake surfing on the Richelieu River between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays over a 20 kilometres section outside the 10 km/h zone.

What it does#

• Fixes one sentence in Table 1 (“New restrictions”) of the previously published regulatory impact analysis statement.
• Clarifies the intended wording for the Richelieu River restriction: towing and wake surfing would be prohibited from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays along a 20 kilometres stretch that lies outside the 10 km/h zone (further from shore).
• Notes that this corrects the description that originally appeared in the RIAS published on June 17, 2023.

Who's affected#

• Recreational boaters who tow (water-ski, tube, etc.) or do wake surfing on the Richelieu River on weekend afternoons.
• Local marinas, tour operators, and watersport businesses that run weekend activities in that area.
• Residents and shoreline users near that part of the Richelieu River who may notice fewer towed activities on weekend afternoons.
• The notice itself comes from the Department of Transport; it is a correction to the explanatory materials for the proposed rule.

Why it matters#

• It removes confusion about when and where the proposed ban would apply on the Richelieu River.
• People who use the river for towing or wake surfing can plan around the clarified weekend time window (1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.) and the location (a 20 kilometres stretch beyond the 10 km/h zone).
• This is a correction to the proposal documents, not a standalone new law; it just ensures the public and stakeholders see the intended restriction clearly.