So 11 years of battling for paddle rights in Canada came to fruition yesterday June 21, 2019.
Omni Bus Bill C-69 received Royal Assent!
The part that concerns all us paddle craft people is now known as -
Canadian Navigable Waters Act
https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/bill/C-69/third-reading#enH1…
Many of you would be much more familiar with the environmental assessments that have been in the news recently in relation to this bill.
But for those of us from all outdoor groups across the country that made numerous submissions over the years, we have a reason to celebrate!
No it is not perfect, but the changes make a huge difference in what is recognized what can be paddled and by what.
There are many paddle issues that still need addressing and many paddle issues that are still open to interpretation, but this is a great start!
Through most of these years the members of the Wilderness Canoe Association and their Board have let me represent them and the interests of them and all paddle craft in this serious issue to our rights of accessing rivers and I thank them for giving me this great opportunity.
The achievement to get these changes to be given Royal Assent to this act is truly inspiring and I was only one of many of a great team. This team covered virtually every outdoor group, all had the same goal and even though we all represented our own interests, we were all surprising on the same page as to what changes we were looking for.
During this Canada week, go for a paddle!
I ask you to do this as a tribute to the thousands of people who worked countless hours to bring all paddlers to this point!
Jeff McColl
Conservation Chair
Wilderness Canoe Association.
