THE MUSKOKAN - Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Bracebridge Detachment Marine Unit are actively patrolling Muskoka waterways in an effort to promote public safety.
Muskoka is renowned for summertime water sports and the OPP promote outdoor activities when conducted in a safe and responsible manner.
Police respond to numerous complaints on the water in a season, one of which is boaters towing skiers, tubers and wake boarders in restricted zones.
In Canada, towing persons within 30 metres of shore is prohibited with the exception of towing perpendicular to the shoreline as one would if they started on a shoreline headed out to the lake.
If the body of water is less than 60 metres wide, towing is not permitted on that body of water.
Some waterways, like the Indian River between Lake Muskoka and Lake Rosseau are designated as “no tow zones” under the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR) of the Canada Shipping Act (CSA), regardless of their width.
Offences set out under the Canada Shipping Act carry steep fines, starting at $240.
As a matter of public safety, the OPP encourage all boaters to be sure they are aware of the rules before setting out on the water.