If anyone had any doubt on where the changes to the Navigable Water Ways Protection Act is heading then you don’t have to look any further than the Balm Beach Ontario on Georgian Bay.
http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/484318

It’s not pretty is it, and to save our historical rights to the access on Canadian waterways we half to stand up now!

Now take in the fact that fisher people/hunters/canoeists don’t own the land of the areas where they access to fish/hunt/boat then throw in a couple of disgruntled landowners that don’t like the “outsiders” …… not a nice vision is it! And throw in a few court cases for fun….

This is very close to becoming a reality; the changes will be introduced in the fall session or if an election is called we have to make sure the future of access to canoeing/boating is protected.

As a past Canadian Canoe Champion and Whitewater champion with having the gift of being involved with the outdoors for over 40 years now, I strongly recommend that you forward this information to your member clubs/suppliers and help protect Canada’s Heritage of water way access.
Making your own presentation would be best for the cause, especially the safe keeping of urban watersheds, or they can go to the
http://www.ispeakforcanadianrivers.com/

Yours in the outdoors,
Jeff McColl
Milton Ont.
For info on how this has progressed, read this forum.
http://www.myccr.com/SectionForums/...t=29875&start=0

Sounds to me like people are trespassing on private property, if you want some beach then buy your own and pay the property taxes on it!

From my understanding of the issue, the law was changed in the mid 90's
and the access rights to the public part of the beach were not addressed,
This part is now before the courts. (so is all the other stuff too)
I used it as an example that if the proposed changes to the Navigalbe waters Protection act, all outdoors people could be face with the same sort of problems.
Right now the "small" waters portion gives you the right to use these small lakes and streams.
It does not give people the right to trash others property but it does give you the right to portage.
What we are trying to do is make sure that you keep that right.
It is a can of worms that needs addressing, especially if you boat one of these minor waters to go hunting/fishing on crown lands
Each group needs to make sure their interests are protected.
This is one issue that could affect all outdoor users groups,
And getting the word out to all groups has to be done.
And if you check the minutes on who put a presentation in, well there was no hunt/fish groups invited either, I found out about it because I had severly broken my tail bone and was bored and started to surf around the net.
I may be a paddler but I have friends that fish and hunt, and they don't own the crown lands where they go, they need to use the small rivers and lakes to get there.
Just letting the rest of the outdoor world know, now it your choice on what you do.
The ispeakforcanadianrivers.com was set up by paddlers to help get this info out. We found out at the 11th. hour of the committee hearings.
We don't want a groups members or money, what we want is for you get get your organization to represent your views, we figure that is the only way we can get the government to make sure all our rights are preserved.
Jeff

it would be nice to buy some beach but in bc that might a little hard to do .Far and few between and you probably would need to be rich . But aside from that public access should be allowed on all lakes ' or should canada only be for the rich ya right don't think so