A federal order about Muskoka’s waterways has been issued.
The Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau has put out a new Interim Order designed to keep people off of Muskoka’s lakes and rivers during the current flood emergency.
Navigation is being prohibited in specific areas of flooding to protect the safety of people and vessels and to help first responders to do their jobs.
The order is for Lake Muskoka, the North and South branch of the Muskoka River and the Moon River near Bala.
“To ensure vessel movements do not pose a risk to the safety of individuals or cause damage to the environment, properties and infrastructure, communities in Muskoka Region are now part of the Interim Order Respecting Flooded Areas, where navigation by non-emergency vessels is strictly prohibited,” the order reads in part.
People who can only access their properties by boat are exempted from the order, but Garneau is urging reduced speeds as there are many hidden hazards in the water and throwing a wake can cause damage to flooded buildings and shores.
