District considers banning motorboats on Shuswap River

ENDERBY – It was a packed open house in Enderby Wednesday night. There’s an idea being floated in the North Okanagan to limit the use of motorboats on the Shuswap River. The intent is to improve recreational safety and environmental protection.

The new rules would go as far as completely banning motorboats on some parts of the river and some residents think that’s going overboard. The proposed regulations would restrict motors to 10 horse power in part of the river and ban motor boat use all together in other parts. There was no shortage of feedback on the idea at the North Okanagan Regional District’s open house.

The proposed regulations came out of a five year process of creating a Shuswap River sustainability plan. The are concerns raised about motorboat use are safety issues, erosion of the river banks and damage to fish habitat.

Some people say the residents who would be affected the most by the regulations are waterfront owners and boaters were not adequately consulted. Though the issue is dividing the community into two sides, some residents are hoping for a compromise.

The regional district says this is just the beginning of the process and ultimately it’s Transport Canada that will determine if the proposed regulations will go on the books.