'1 lake, 1 boat' policy intended to keep invasive species out of Pelican Lake sparks concerns from businesses

CBC

23-05-2025

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New boating regulations at Pelican Lake are raising concerns among some business owners, who say the changes may drive visitors away from the southwestern Manitoba region during the crucial summer tourism season.
Dorothy Bright, who co-owns a gas station in Ninette, says her business has already taken a hit since the Rural Municipality of Prairie Lakes introduced new rules aimed at preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species like zebra mussels. She said she's seen a 31 per cent drop in sales compared to this time last year.
If things continue to get worse, she doesn't know if her business will survive.
"They've locked up our lake," she said. "The tourists aren't coming because they've heard."
The RM's new "one waterbody watercraft" bylaw means boaters who want to use Pelican Lake can't use their watercraft in other bodies of water without inspection and decontamination.
The municipality's aquatic invasive species prevention plan includes a $100 seasonal fee for motorized watercraft and $25 for non-motorized vessels for residents, who will receive a decal that will "confirm that the watercraft is declared a one-waterbody watercraft," the bylaw says.
Visitors will have to pay a $40 inspection fee before they're allowed to launch boats on the lake.
To enforce the new system, which officially came into effect May 5, more than 20 lake access points have been blocked, and an inspection station has been set up in Ninette. Boat launch gates are now open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The municipality says the rules are necessary to protect the lake's ecosystem and the long-term viability of tourism.
But Bright worries the fees will drive people to visit other lakes, where they can access the province's free aquatic invasive species inspection program.
"None of the other lakes are locked down," she said. "We are the only ones with this exorbitant fee."
Lake health a priority: reeve
Prairie Lakes Reeve Darren Seymour says the RM has spoken with other regions impacted by aquatic invasive species, and found that prevention is key.
"We certainly don't want to impact our businesses locally. We don't want to deter travel," Seymour said.
"But if we were to contract [invasive species], that would be detrimental to our businesses as well, and it would be detrimental to the ratepayers around the lake who own the cottages."
Invasive species like zebra mussels have become a concern elsewhere in the province. North of Pelican Lake, Parks Canada has banned the use of motorized watercraft on Clear Lake this year, in an effort to curtail the spread of the invasive species, which was first discovered in the province in 2013. Zebra mussels have since been found in Cedar Lake and Lake Manitoba, as well as Clear Lake.
Seymour said there's no sign of zebra mussels in Pelican Lake yet, but the RM is monitoring for them.
He said there's been buy-in from the Prairie Lakes community on preventing the spread of invasive species in Pelican Lake, with 219 permits for motorized watercraft and 182 for non-motorized vessels sold locally.
The program is currently being paid for entirely by the fees paid by lake users, and will cost an estimated $120,000 to $140,000 for inspections, staffing and infrastructure, including a newly built inspection shed and barrier installations, said Seymour.
The initial work to get the program off the ground has relied on a volunteer group, Friends of Pelican Lake. Seymour says the members of the group have not been publicly named due to personal attacks on social media.
"We're doing everything we can to keep the cost down for the fisherman that's travelling here, to protect the businesses. We're doing everything to keep the cost down for the local ratepayer as best we can," Seymour said.
But not all municipalities around Pelican Lake are on board with these plans.
The RM of Killarney-Turtle Mountain, which borders about a third of one side of the lake, has declined to participate in the access control program. Two boat launches fall along the boundary between the two municipalities, but Seymour says the risk of non-compliance is minimal.
"Is one or two boats going to get in, or a few boats going to circumvent the program and get in at those locations, possibly?" Seymour said. "One or two boats is a small fraction of the boats that are adhering to the program and going through it."
The RM of Killarney-Turtle Mountain said in a statement it supports aquatic invasive species education and prevention, but is not prepared to implement access restrictions on the lakes within its jurisdiction.
Economic fallout
Meanwhile, businesses like E&J Bait say they're feeling the effects.
Owner Eric Evans says business has dropped dramatically compared to last year.
From May 1 to May 20, sales of seasonal boat launch passes were down 85 per cent, daily passes were down 89 per cent, and overall sales dropped over 80 per cent, he said.
"With the chains and gates up, it has a bad outlook on the town, and it's potentially keeping people away and causing them to go elsewhere," Evans said.
He believes education, rather than restrictions and fees, would be a more effective solution.
"I just feel like this, the whole mitigation plan, is going to affect the town more than I think they realize," Evans said.
Bright agrees, saying the municipality should find a way to make the program free to encourage more people to participate and learn how to prevent the spread of invasive species. She wishes the community had been a bigger part of the conversation before the program was implemented.
"The community as a whole is, they're supportive, they understand that the lake is important, but we also understand that economically this hurts," Bright said.