Parks Canada Lifts Boat Ban on Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park

Parks Canada announced on Wednesday that it is lifting the ban on motorized watercraft on Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park. The ban had been in place for the 2024 and 2025 seasons to prevent the spread of invasive zebra mussels. Motorized boats will be permitted on the lake for the first time in three years starting in the 2026 season.

Parks Canada concluded last summer that eradicating the zebra mussels from the lake is not feasible. The lake is located in a popular summer resort area within the national park in Manitoba, Canada. As a result, the agency has developed a new watercraft management plan to address the presence of the invasive species.

The management plan includes a mandatory tagging program for motorized watercraft.

It also expands the no-wake zone to protect shorelines and designates two weekly days for non-motorized use only. Additionally, there will be designated dawn and dusk quiet periods restricted to non-motorized activities. The decision follows several months of public engagement, consultation with Indigenous partners, environmental monitoring, and a comprehensive third-party literature review, according to a Parks Canada news release.

Program details are still being finalized and will be made public before the operating season begins in May 2026. Parks Canada plans to introduce a boat launch fee to support lake management activities, with a proposed fee structure developed for public consultation during the 2026 summer season and potential implementation in 2027.

The aquatic invasive species program requires all watercraft, fishing equipment, wetsuits, and inflatables to be inspected by Parks Canada staff.

Users must comply with the federal government's Clean, Drain, Dry, and Decontaminate protocol. Motorized watercraft must be secured to trailers with a Parks Canada-installed tag when not on Clear Lake. Users of non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks and canoes, must obtain either an annual permit for launching only on Clear Lake or an annual permit for outlying waterbodies in the park, including Lake Audy, Moon Lake, and Lake Katherine.

Parks Canada is accelerating a joint stewardship or management agreement for Clear Lake with Chief Dwayne Blackbird and Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation, located on the northwest shore of the lake. The zebra mussels pose risks to the lake's ecosystem by competing with native species and potentially affecting water quality.

The management plan aims to balance recreational access with environmental protection.

Stakeholders, including visitors, local communities, and Indigenous groups, will be affected by the changes in access and fees.