The shores of Clear Lake on the main beach in Riding Mountain National Park. (CHRISD.CA FILE)
The advocacy group Fairness for Clear Lake has filed a judicial review application challenging Parks Canada’s May 16 decision to ban watercraft on Clear Lake.
Parks Canada previously banned watercraft from Clear Lake last summer as it fought to contain invasive zebra mussels in parts of the lake. Those efforts proved to be unsuccessful, and additional mussels were later found elsewhere in the lake. Earlier this year, Parks Canada initially announced plans for the return of watercraft to the lake in 2025, but backtracked on that decision in the spring without warning.
Filed by the June 16 deadline, the legal action claims the decision was made without proper consultation, evidence, or consideration of the ban’s impact on the local community. The group argues the move threatens local livelihoods and undermines public trust in Parks Canada.
While Fairness for Clear Lake says legal action is not their preferred route, they say months of outreach have gone unanswered. The group is seeking to halt the ban, demand greater transparency, and push for more inclusive decision-making.
“Communities are being sidelined,” the group said in a release. “Decisions are being made without consultation. And trust — in one of our most beloved national institutions — is being lost.”
A public community meeting will be held over Zoom tonight at 7 p.m. to discuss the issue further. Updates will be provided at fairnessforclearlake.ca.
