The days of jet skis or even gas-powered boats on Elk/Beaver Lake could be numbered.
Capital Regional District parks committee members have asked staff to look at options on restricting or prohibiting the use of gas-powered watercraft on the lake, and perhaps allowing electric motors only.
The move came Wednesday after CRD directors received a presentation and a petition from Sharon Glyn, asking that the region consider a prohibition on personal motorized watercraft on the popular lake.
“They are a use that seems to be inconsistent with the use of the lake,” Glyn said, referring to people who row and fish at the lake.
There are two basic problems with jet skis, she said. They make a loud, annoying noise and they are designed for speed.
“So the noise and the wake they produce is really disturbing to anybody nearby,” Glyn said.
“Because it’s such a small area — Elk and Beaver Lake — I don’t believe it’s possible to just have them in a certain locale and also because the noise travels.”
Some directors said if a prohibition were to be considered, they would like it not to just focus on jet skis but be extended to all gas-powered motors.
Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen said he would like to see a move to electric motors only on regional lakes.
“I think certainly that would be a major step forward in protecting that lake and we might want to think about it for other lakes, too,” Jensen said.
Juan de Fuca Electoral Area director Mike Hicks, who chairs the committee, cautioned that it might make more sense to look at a limit on engine size than moving to all-electric.
“To my knowledge, they do a lot of rowing on that lake and they are probably not going to be able to chase those sculls with electric engines.
“So it might be a size of horsepower restriction that is recommended,” Hicks said.
Victoria Coun. Ben Isitt said he favoured a ban on gas-powered watercraft in all regional park lakes.
“Some people find the noise objectionable for these Sea-Doos. Personally for me, it’s the pollution that’s objectionable. If that means the rowing clubs have to change their practices, so be it,” Isitt said.
“To just hone in on these completely obnoxious Sea-Doos, I think, is in some ways discriminating against one type of user. I would like us to say in these regional parks the ecology is important and you can’t use a fossil-fuel belching engine in our lakes.
“That means you adjust your practice. Things change over time,” he said.
Larisa Hutcheson, CRD general manager of parks and environmental services, wondered whether the region has the authority to ban jet skis, saying that the jurisdiction likely falls to Transport Canada.
Hutcheson said there is no reference to watercraft in the CRD parks bylaw.
“This may be something that the board may want to advocate to Transport Canada with regards to a prohibition.”
