The Capital Regional District does not have the authority to ban Jet Skis or power boats from Elk/Beaver Lake, parks committee members were told.
That authority rests with the federal government through the Canada Shipping Act and its Vessel Operating Restriction Regulations, CRD staff told committee members.
The region could apply to Transport Canada to amend the regulations, but the process is onerous, involving extensive public participation and staff time, CRD parks staff say.
Last September, the committee asked staff to look at options on restricting or prohibiting the use of gas-powered watercraft on the lake — perhaps allowing electric motors only — after noise complaints prompted a petition asking that the region consider a prohibition on personal motorized watercraft on the lake.
CRD staff say that while the region does not have jurisdiction over vessel use on the lake, the region could ask the District of Saanich to amend its noise bylaw to include Elk/Beaver Lake.
Committee members asked staff to ask the federal government whether it would be possible to restrict the gas-powered motors on the lake to four-stroke engines and ban two-stroke engines, which burn oil and gas at the same time.
Committee chairman Mike Hicks said a move to four-stroke engines could improve the quality of the lake. “That would create a lot less oil coming out the exhaust in the lake. It’s simple. They’ve done it everywhere.”
A visitor survey conducted in 2007 noted that 80 per cent of respondents were satisfied with noise levels in the park, CRD staff said in a report.
While some people indicated that other uses detracted from their experience — for example, some land-based users felt motor boats detracted from their experience; some rowers felt motor boats detracted from their experience — the survey found that most people deal with the annoyance by ignoring the activity, moving to a different area or coming back another time.
The Elk/Beaver Lake recreational use advisory group discussed the concerns around noise from motorized watercraft in October 2016, but found that while some lake-related noise issues had been noted, they did not occur often, staff said in their report.
