Left to sink

Ottawa River fishing campers remain a problem

At least one ice fishing camper (fishing shack) sank in the Ottawa River this spring. Unable to remove the camper when the ice started to melt, the owner abandoned it near the boundary between the Municipality of Pontiac (MoP) and Gatineau, and no one seems able or willing to remove it now.

The MoP asked the Ministry of Environment to intervene, but the Ministry told the Bulletin that municipalities are better positioned to remove campers.

However, the MoP said earlier that it doesn’t have the resources to intervene.

“No one is taking the responsibility to remove such debris safely and quickly,” said Adèle Michon, Ottawa Riverkeeper Director of Operations for Quebec. She added that many campers have sunk in the Ottawa River; it is a recurring problem.

MNA Fortin: stiffen the penalties

André Fortin, Pontiac MNA, told the Bulletin that he’s checking “with different ministries to see who can remove the structure. It’s clear that it’s a safety problem. It’s also polluting the river.”

Fortin said that he plans to review the rules for using campers on the ice and owners’ obligations for removing them. “We must look at the whole situation, not just the one camper,” he added.

Unlike in Ontario, ice-fishing campers go unregistered in Quebec, making it hard for municipalities to track down owners when problems arise. According to Michon, consequences are needed to encourage owners to remove their shacks from the ice. In Ontario, thanks to registrations, the government can fine the owner of a camper in cases of non-compliance.

To avoid having more abandoned campers on the ice, the Pontiac MNA acknowledged that the system needs to change toward more stringent regulations. “I don’t want to see owners just leave their campers to sink,” said the MNA.