The Ontario government addressed its concerns this week surrounding the “premature” opening of the recreational boating season in the province. Ontario has one of the largest if not the largest population of boaters in Canada and with the warmer nearing many are getting eager to get on the water. Due to the Emergency Order that is in place at the moment closing all public ramps in areas, the government is allowing Marinas still operate under heavy limitations to continue to restrict recreational boat.

With Marina’s on the issued a list of Essential Workplaces. The very limited circumstances when marinas can be open is only under the following guidelines:

-A marina may operate but only to the extent necessary to enable individuals to access their primary place of residence including indigenous communities (e.g. there is no land-based route to access the residence) (paragraph 21. ii. C). Accessing seasonal cottages is inconsistent with the government’s “stay home, stop the spread” message.

-Marinas may also operate to support other essential services including policing and law enforcement (e.g. MNRF) fire and emergency services (paragraph 1 and paragraph 34).

-Marinas may also operate to support businesses that produce food, including by fishing (paragraph 1 and paragraph 24), or to support the food supply chain (paragraph 26). Marinas are not to support recreational or sport fishing.