Motorized commercial vessels operating on Barrie’s waterfront have more than one master.
City and federal regulations rule their waves, say local and national officials.
This is timely, even in frigid January, because these vessels, such as personal watercraft, could one day require a city licence.
Barrie councillors, sitting as general committee tonight, will consider a motion to have staff prepare rules for the licensing of businesses operating motorized activities along the waterfront — including a limit on the vehicles permitted, fees and safety measures for their operation. Staff would then report back.
Sau Sau Liu, senior communications advisor with media services for Transport Canada, says the feds are already involved.
“Transport Canada plays a role in the oversight of renting and operating personal watercraft,” she said. “Transport Canada requires that all motorized boats of 10 horsepower or more to have liability insurance coverage and a valid Pleasure Craft Licence from Transport Canada.
“Provinces and territories may also have their own liability requirement rules,” Liu added. “Specific insurance coverage when renting a pleasure craft to another person may vary based on the insurance provider.”
She said any person renting out their pleasure craft is responsible for ensuring those using it have appropriate insurance coverage and are certified to operate it, such as having a Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
“Anyone operating a pleasure craft must be aware of the rules in place,” Liu said.
The motion city councillors will consider Wednesday would also rescind a previous council’s decision not to allow operators to provide motorized activities on Barrie’s waterfront.
Coun. Bryn Hamilton, the motion’s sponsor, has said the proposed change focuses on establishing licensing regulations for motorized activities, to ensure that businesses operate safely, responsibly and are in line with community expectations.
City staff say Barrie’s parks use bylaw prohibits motorized vehicles in all parks, both inland and waterfront, unless authorized, to ensure the public’s safety on the walking and bike paths, grass areas, etc.
Barrie’s parks bylaw defines waterfront park to mean a public park, open space or environmentally protected land which connects, surrounds or is abutting Lake Simcoe, Kempenfelt Bay, Little Lake or any other such body of water.
The city’s general business licensing bylaw prohibits the operation of any business from all municipal property, including parks, unless authorized — meaning by way of an agreement, tender, etc., with the City of Barrie. Examples are the current operators along the waterfront.
Barrie Watersports, owned by business partners based in Wasaga Beach, operated a wooden platform near Kempenfelt Bay’s southern shore last summer, offering personal watercraft rentals, along with pontoon boat excursions and running small jet boat watersports, such as tubing, wakeboarding and water-skiing.
City staff says Barrie Watersports did not have a licence or permit from the City of Barrie.
Rod Drover, who’s in communications with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said it’s not the regulator of these commercial activities.
“We’ve double-checked with our folks to make sure,” he said. “Fisheries and Oceans Canada … is not involved in regulating pleasure crafts, personal watercraft and in commercial activities related to them.”
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry could not be reached for comment by BarrieToday.
If Hamilton’s motion is approved by general committee Wednesday, it could receive final approval by city council Jan. 29.
