Quads on Lake Shores: What are the rules and the state of enforcement?

The Alberta Lake Management Society has asked a good question.

It’s a timely one too, as awareness about the impacts of OHVs on watersheds peaks with the annual spring wetness.  There are definitely rules and some options for better enforcement.  There’s also a slight legal grey area and passing of the hot potato.  Wet areas surrounding a permanent lake expose a gap in provincial regulations and uncertainty as to how municipalities can fill it.  Some simple reforms would provide much clarity and there are multiple current opportunities.

Whose job is it anyway?

The environment isn’t a distinct legal category. That means everyone including the feds, the province, the municipality and the landowners could have lake management roles. The two key players concerning quads on lake shores are the province and the municipalities, and I sense uncertainty about their division of responsibility.

Read “Quads on Lake Shores” on the ELC blog.

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