Minnedosa Tribune
SAFETY FIRST
Blakely Goriak, left, and her partner, Natalie Saler, took time from their duties as traffic safety ambassadors for a picture on a busy 2nd Avenue after school in Minnedosa on Monday, April 13. The CAA School Safety Patrol program was developed to protect and educate children on safe road-crossing practices. Students considered for the program must be in grades 5-8 and be capable of demonstrating responsibility, dedication, and leadership.
Parks Canada ends Clear Lake boat ban
people use the water.
The waves have finally settled on Clear Lake after Parks Canada announced an end to the unpopular motorized boating ban on April 8. However, anyone expecting a total return to the old days is in for a reality check. The boats are coming back, but with a heavy list of new rules that will change how
Under the new 2026 rules, every motorized boat must carry a Parks Canada-installed tag whenever it’s out of the water. The no-wake zones are getting bigger, and two days a week are now strictly for non-motorized use only. Dawn and dusk are also reserved for paddlers. The full schedule isn’t out yet, but Parks Canada promises it’ll be live before the season kicks off in May.
The inspection gauntlet isn’t going anywhere. Every single craft, motorized or not, must be checked by park staff and must be bone-dry before it touches the water.
Last summer, staff ran over 7,500 inspections on kayaks and canoes, and about one in nine needed decontaminations. Paddlers also face a one lake rule this year, meaning you must pick between a permit for Clear Lake or the park’s other spots like Lake Audy or
Moon Lake. You can’t have both. It’s a strict move to stop crosscontamination.
A launch fee is also on the horizon. Parks Canada will spend the 2026 season talking to the public about a fee structure they want to trigger by 2027 to help cover the massive costs of the inspection program.
Ending the motorized boat ban has come after a lengthy history of back-and-forth indecisiveness. Af-
ter a desperate move to stop the spread of zebra mussels in Clear Lake, a temporary shutdown of motorized boats was put into enforcement in 2024. While there was a possible hope for a normal 2025 season, Parks Canada issued a reversal just before the May long weekend last year, slamming the gates shut on motorized craft for another full summer.
SEE PARKS CANADA PAGE 2
DARRELL NESBITT/MINNEDOSA TRIBUNE
RACHEAL FLINTOFT Minnedosa Tribune