Toronto Council approves motion to ban jet skis and motorized watercraft 150 metres from Woodbine Beach shore
By ALAN SHACKLETON
Toronto Council has approved a motion to call to ban the use of personal watercraft (jet skis) and motorized watercraft off Woodbine Beach.
The motion introduced by Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford at council’s meeting on Thursday, July 24, was unanimously approved.
Bradford’s original motion had asked the City of Toronto to call on Ports Toronto to implement a ban on the use of motorized watercraft within 100 metres of the shoreline of the Eastern Beaches, from Ashbridges Bay Park to the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant in the east. However, the motion passed yesterday went even further and sought for the ban to be 150 metres from shore.
“In response to feedback from community members, I strengthened the motion to make it clear the zone should be a minimum 150 metres (an increase from the originally proposed 100-metre minimum), and to establish a Stakeholder Advisory Committee with representatives from the local swimming, paddling and boating community to help determine the exact dimensions of the no-go zone for jet skis and other motorized watercraft,” said Bradford in a statement sent to Beach Metro Community News last night.
“I also made it clear that this zone must be in place before next year’s beach season begins.”
Bradford’s motion came in the wake of increasing safety concerns along Woodbine Beach regarding the operation and renting of jet skis in the area. Beach users and licenced companies that rent non-motorized watercraft (such as paddleboards and kayaks) said there has been a rash of rentals of jet skis by people not licenced by the city to do so and that many of the users of those jet skis have been operating them in a dangerous manner.
As a result of those concerns, a crackdown was initiated by Toronto police and city bylaw officials between July 9 and 12.
However, more legal power was needed by those authorities to keep the area safe and that was the motivation behind’s Thursday’s motion calling for the banning of those machines within 150 metres of the shore.
Bradford said he will continue to work with community members, police and city bylaw officers for the rest of this summer and boating season to ensure safety along Woodbine Beach is maintained in advance of the ban being implemented.
“City bylaw enforcement and Toronto police will continue their enforcement actions with renewed urgency, and I am actively coordinating with city staff to implement additional measures in the coming days and weeks to get these operations shut down” said Bradford of those who are renting the jet skis illegally.
“Rest assured, I’m going to continue to work with community members to make sure Woodbine Beach is a safe destination for everyone in our community.”
As council passed the motion yesterday, other councillors with beaches in their wards also brought forward motions to deal with the illegal renting and dangerous operation of jet skis in their areas. Specifically, Scarborough Southwest Councillor Parthi Kandavel and Etobicoke-Lakeshore Councillor Amber Morley respectively mentioned Bluffers Beach in Scarborough and Humber Bay Shores in Etobicoke as areas of concern.
