Windsor pursuing motorized watercraft ban along shoreline

Windsor city officials are expected to petition the federal transportation ministry to implement a ban on motorized water vessels within 30 metres of the shoreline. 

City council previously passed a motion Monday seeking a temporary speed limit or the establishment of a "no-wake zone" along the Detroit River waterfront. 

However, following a meeting Tuesday afternoon between Windsor officials, LaSalle mayor Marc Bondy, RCMP, OPP, LaSalle police, Windsor police and Windsor's harbour master, a shoreline proximity limit was deemed more appropriate.

LaSalle passes similar motion

LaSalle town council passed a motion Tuesday evening requesting the Windsor Port Authority harbour master petition Transport Canada to allow a temporary prohibition on the "operation of a motorized vessel within 30 metres of the waterfront, except when docking."

LaSalle Coun. Sue Desjarlais explained the motion wasn't originally on the agenda for Tuesday's council meeting, but was established as a result of the afternoon meeting in Windsor. 

"It was given to us just before our meeting and it's coming from the meeting that mayor Bondy had this afternoon," said Desjarlais. "I would think it's gonna be the same coming out of the City of Windsor. I would think coming out of Lakeshore, Tecumseh, Amherstburg, we're all going to have to take a look at it."

Desjarlais said she expects LaSalle will submit its request before the end of this week. 

Exception to the rule

Bondy told CBC News the goal is to convince the federal transportation ministry to allow an exception that would provide LaSalle with the tools it needs to enforce wake-reduction laws.

"We're going to ask for whatever we can get," said Bondy. "We need tools given to us and our understanding is that the ministry made an exception in … Quebec for [a] similar type of issue to protect the waterfront, so we're asking for the same thing down in southwestern Ontario."

Bondy added that he isn't clear on the precise exemption that Transport Canada allowed in Quebec. 

"Details were not given, I didn't ask, but what we're asking for here is we want people to slow down, because the greater the speed, the greater the weight, the greater the damage along the waterfront," said Bondy.

... The greater the speed, the greater the weight, the greater the damage along the waterfront.- Marc Bondy, Mayor of LaSalle

In addition to its petition, LaSalle also plans on launching an education campaign informing boaters to take steps to reduce the wakes created by their vessels. 

LaSalle police have already asked boaters — "from Seadoos to yachts" — to slow down and mind their wake. 

"Every wake and wave you produce erodes the land along the river at an alarming rate," said the police service in a Facebook post. "If you are producing a wake, please slow down."

Boaters react to possible regulation

As municipal governments confer with one another about steps to minimize shoreline damage, local boaters expressed mixed skepticism about the implementation of a proximity limit. 

Brian Camphorst is a Windsor boater and hobby fisher. He says that his boat can come "pretty close to shore" during spring fishing season. 

"So if it affects that part, I think they should just enforce the speed and the no-wake zone," he said. "Let's just wait and see what happens and we'll go with it, but I think a no-wake zone would be better than just banning [boats within 30 metres of the shoreline]."

Camphorst added that a 30-metre proximity ban "will affect the fisherman on this side of the river."

For her part, Charmaine Camphorst was skeptical that the city would be able to enforce a the shoreline limit. 

"If you can't enforce no-wake, how are you going to enforce this?" she said."You need somebody constantly up-and-down the area in order to enforce it."

She added that proper respect for other boaters on the water, as well as residences along the shoreline, would be a way to address concerns. 

Still, she mentioned that she's seen other boaters "getting too close to the shoreline, especially to those of us who are swimming and floating in the water."

"If they don't enforce no-wake, then regardless of where they are, it's going to be a problem because it's the people going too fast — that's the issue," she said.