We'll start with only few forum categories and expand from there if there is enough traffic. Forward your suggestions to feedback@wildernesscanoe.ca
How to Post an Event on the WCA Website
Revision 2017 06 27
You can use this step by step guideline to help you post a WCA event/
The video is 26 minutes long but well worth viewing
https://www.ontariotravel.net/en/play/outdoor-adventures/paddling-and-w…
Many thanks to Jeff McColl for all his hard work. His input on behalf of the WCA was acknowledged in the Study of the Navigation Protection Act (attached). Hopefully this input along with the input of other stakeholders will improve the NPA and return protection of all waterways.
Groups representing recreational users expressed concerns about the NPA’s narrow scope, for example, Mr. Greg Farrant, spokesperson for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) told the Committee that the hunting, fishing, trapping and outfitting industries in Canada provide $15.2 billion annually to the national economy, but that much of this money depends on ensuring access to Canada’s lakes, rivers and streams, most of which is on unscheduled waters.The Wilderness Canoe Association, in a submission, suggested that even minor waters deserve protection under the Act because even minor waters can provide significant recreational value and once obstructed, there is little chance that they will again be navigable.
While paddling out from Noganosh Lake yesterday morning, we happened to notice some smoke from what we initially thought was a campfire at the southernmost campsite on Smokey Lake in Noganosh Lake Provincial Park. There was, however, no one at the site and the smoke was coming from a fire ring that had been built on soil amidst mature pines in the middle of the campsite. Not only was the pre-existing fire pit ignored but a potential tenting site was ruined. Additionally, the previous user left numerous traces of his/her presence including a broken folding camp chair, charred food remains, and litter. We spent over an hour dousing the area with water and breaking up the soil and roots in an effort to extinguish the fire as well as packing out all of the garbage. While there was no remaining evidence of smoke and the soil was cool and wet to the touch, we did notify the owners of Smokey Lake Lodge and, later, park authorities of the fire due to the insidious nature of root fires and the posted extreme fire hazard. Park authorities, already dealing with a fire in Grundy Provincial Park, took GPS coordinates and made a copy of our topographic map so that a crew could be sent out.
I don't often get on a rant but this blatant disregard of backcountry safety and etiquette displays gross ignorance, carelessness, and flagrant negligence. We are fortunate to have plentiful and readily accessible natural areas and it behoves us to engage in responsible behaviours that will ensure the protection of our natural environment.
An important message to members from the WCA Outings Committee
While our WCA outings are run to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for our members, we understand that outdoor activities such as canoeing carry certain risks. When you first join the WCA, as well as on your membership renewals, you acknowledge this risk and indicate your understanding of it, and agree to the conditions of our WCA waiver of liability, which is posted in its entirety in the Outings Section of this website. To further enhance our risk management program, we will be including in the outings submission template for trip organizers the embedded wording: By signing up for this trip you also agree to the conditions in the WCA liability waiver. Please locate it on the WCA website under the Outings tab. It will take some time to have the IT work done to create this. In the interim, we would ask outings organizers to include this sentence at the end of your trip description. If you do not do this, the outings committee will contact you to request its inclusion before the outing is posted. Unfortunately, if the outings committee adds the wording, it will remove the ability of the organizers to subsequently make any changes to their postings, such as revised dates. Consequently, we would appreciate the organizer’s assistance to add the waiver wording to enable them to remain able to subsequently modify their posting, if need be.
Outings organizers, please note that when members register as participants through the website, they will in doing so agree to the waiver provisions. If you are contacted by someone by email to request to join your trip, please ask them to register through the website so they automatically agree to the waiver. For those who do not register through the website, including non-member friends coming on the trip, we would ask the organizer to print the waiver form, have these participants sign it, and email a scanned copy back to the WCA outings mailbox for our records.
We appreciate our outings organizers and participants’ cooperation in helping us make our club outings activities as safe and well-run as possible.
Members of the WCA,
Hope all is well with you and that 2016 will be a great year. We currently are in need of an accountant to review the books for both the Wilderness Canoe Association and Canadian Canoe Routes accounts. Mr. Guttman, who has done our accounting for many years is no longer able to do it due to health issues. We are appealing to members in hopes of finding an accountant either within the ranks of the WCA or someone who one of our members can recommend. If you are interested in the position or know someone who is or would like more details, please get in touch with Barb Young (905-457-7937, email at youngjdavid@rogers.com).
If you are interested in birds, you might want to volunteer to count them. See details below how to sign up.
Dig out your mittens and thermos – the 13th Annual Winter Bird Count in the Rouge will be held on Sunday January 10, 2016 led by Parks Canada and the Toronto Zoo.
What is a Bird Count?
Thousands of birds call the Rouge home during the winter months, and we want to know who’s around. Volunteers, along with brilliant bird experts, venture out to forests, meadows and wetlands in the park to count all birds seen and heard.
There’s lots of ways to get involved:
New to birding? No worries, no experience needed. Please be 13 years of age and over and happy to spend much of the day hiking in any weather.
Are you a birding expert? We can use your help. A group leader shares their knowledge on the importance of birds and their habitats. Come discover the resident birds of the Rouge.
Prefer to stay warm? If you’re a Rouge Park neighbour, you can tally up bird visits at your backyard bird feeders. Connect with us to see if you’re in our bird count zone.
What does the day look like?
Bundle up, this is a rain, shine or snow event. You’ll meet up with your team and travel to your assigned counting zone in the park. Generally, the count will go from 8am to 1pm, but your leader will be in touch to work out the details. Then, we all gather together to see the results of our count. Who will find the bald eagle this year? The suspense is unbearable!
What’s in it for me?
You will get to spend the morning in the Rouge with a very knowledgeable birder who can teach you interesting bird facts such as recognizing calls, or identifying features. We’ll reward your efforts with a delicious meal and warm drinks.
I’m in! How do I sign up?
This is a popular event and space is limited, so connect with us early. Drop us an email at rouge@pc.gc.ca to register (please do not reply to this email).
In your email to rouge@pc.gc.ca, please include:
-Name(s) and age(s) of participant(s):
-What is your birding experience: novice, intermediate or expert?
-If you need to take public transit:
-If you have a preferred birding area in the park:
I have children 12 and under, can they tag along? What if I can’t commit for the full time?
The Winter Bird Count can be a long day for little feet; therefore, we’ve limited the event to people 13 years of age and older. If you have someone 12 and under, but are still keen to participate, we’re offering birding hikes. These hikes are handy too if you can’t stay for the allotted time, or would find 4 to 5 hours of hiking a challenge. Learn more here:
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/progs/np-pn/cnpn-cnnp/rouge/ne/ne-8/ne-8a.aspx
Just how fabulous is the Winter Bird Count?
Over the years we have averaged seeing over 6,500 birds in just one day, which can consist of 50 to 70 different species! Here are some of the highlights we have seen over the years: several birds of prey and hawk species including the Bald Eagle and Rough-legged Hawk; owl species like the Great Horned Owl and the Barred Owl; some more elusive and colourful winter bird species like the Eastern Bluebird and Common Redpoll.
Spread the word!
Please feel free to forward this information to any family or friends you think would be interested in participating in this event.
Need more info? Send a note to rouge@pc.gc.ca and we’d be happy to answer any questions you may have. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Your winter bird count team,
Parks Canada and Toronto Zoo
Rouge National Urban Park Initiative / Initiative du parc urbain national de la Rouge
Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada
Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada
rouge@pc.gc.ca
Attention all paddlers
I'm sorry but this canoeing license is a piece of.........
This "canoeing License" idea has been created by the American Company that brought us the boater exam..
This is nothing but a money grab and will do little for canoe safety or bring any financial benefit to the paddle sport world in Canada.
They floated this through myccr a few years ago but not in an open way that you knew it was the American company doing the push.
Do not let this happen!
It is just another tax and will do nothing to teach real outdoor skills.
I am sadly disappointed how the author brought this out.
And this will not just affect bad mannered canoe paddlers in Algonquin.
This will reach all types of paddlers and is purely a money grab.
Paddler fisher people, SUP's, racers....sea kayakers... all of us!
Let them know that this is not a good idea.
http://www.explore-mag.com/The_Happy_Camper_Licence_to_Paddle
