CSRD Looking at Ticketing of Illegal Buoys
The issue of permitting, tagging and/or removal of unregistered or illegal buoys on the foreshore of Shuswap Lake has been around for many years. SWOA has reported on this issue in the past and for a number of years, Transport Canada has been both tagging buoys in various locations on the lake. Then, if owners of the buoys don’t take steps to register the buoys and/or bring them into compliance with current federal legislation, Transport Canada has been contracting with local companies to remove the “illegal” buoys.
Now the CSRD is considering adding the ticketing, and fines, when these “illegal” buoys are found, at various locations on the foreshore.
The clicking here will take you to an article in the Salmon Arm Observer reporting on the matter under consideration.
I agree with Dwight. I am also disapointed in SWOA as being gutless in its responses to illegal buoys. So far Swoa has donr nothing and the same goes for
concerns over wake boats and cigarette style boats. I’m leaving and cancelling my membership
Thanks for your comment. SWOA is always pleased to hear from its members. With respect to your specific concerns (buoys, noisy boats, etc,), these matters are federally regulated by Transport Canada and the NWPA. Transport Canada (TC) do run checks on buoys once or twice a year with hopes of getting the buoy owners to meet the NWPA regulations, then has contractors remove non-compliant buoys, typically in the fall. In our view, the tagging system they use does not work well as there are so many buoy owners who are not full time residents and wind/waves can remove them from the buoys if left too long so the owners do not receive the notices.
The noise issue for boats has been a divisive for SWOA members – we have had comments on both sides of the debate. However, another group – Safe Quiet Lakes, (Safequiet lakes.ca) based in the Muskoka region of Ontario has spearheaded proposed changes to federal regulations on boat noise with TC. It is our understanding that draft changes to federal regulations have been brought forward to Parliament for review. They were hoping that these would be given Royal Assent this coming fall – but whether this happens is up to the present government’s agenda.
On your membership, we have your request. However, your membership is paid up until February,2026 and we will keep you in our database up until that time.
Regards;
Clyde Mitchell, President, SWOA”
Far too long since anything has been done about buoys. The bylaws are there in black and white and easily understood. CSRD is being made a fool of by the non compliant buoy people. CSRD could be liable to lawsuits if someone is compromised by someone with an illegal buoy. Someone tagged some illegal buoys about 3 years ago and people just tore them off their buoys knowing probably nothing would be done.We have almost 30 buoys in our bay and it looks like a pumpkin patch as well as being unsafe. 7 of these buoys are legal – the rest need to be removed unless compliant with the bylaws. Need to step up and get serious!