Parks Canada restricts use of motorized watercraft on Clear Lake in 2025

Parks Canada has made the difficult decision to continue to restrict the use of motorized watercraft on Clear Lake in 2025. This approach is a continuation of Parks Canada’s attempts to reduce zebra mussel spread in Clear Lake and the potential damage that may be caused to downstream waterbodies and related infrastructure. This action means Parks Canada will permit only non-motorized watercraft on Clear Lake in 2025.

Users of non-motorized watercraft, including kayaks and canoes, may choose between an annual permit to use only Clear Lake or an annual permit to use the various outlying waterbodies in Riding Mountain National Park, such as Lake Audy, Moon Lake and Lake Katherine. All non-motorized watercraft, fishing equipment, wetsuits, and inflatables must complete a Parks Canada aquatic invasive species inspection and comply with Clean, Drain, Dry protocol.

Parks Canada is taking a precautionary approach in an effort to reduce the rate of spread of zebra mussels, thereby continuing to protect the health of Clear Lake and outlying waterbodies in Riding Mountain National Park and downstream water courses so that visitors and residents can continue to enjoy them in the future.

In the coming year, Parks Canada will initiate a comprehensive research approach to determine how motorized watercraft affect ecological, socioeconomic and cultural components of Clear Lake. Parks Canada appreciates resident and visitor engagement and recognizes the important place Clear Lake holds in their hearts. Similarly, we greatly respect the strong connections that Indigenous communities and residents, both permanent and seasonal, have with Clear Lake.

Parks Canada takes their role to protect the ecological and cultural health of Clear Lake seriously. This approach to aquatic invasive species risk reduction will help protect all waterbodies in Riding Mountain National Park while ensuring lake users can resume many of the activities they missed in 2024. Parks Canada is committed to providing visitors and community members with high quality and meaningful experiences and supporting the continued vitality of tourism in communities around Riding Mountain National Park.

For more information visit the 2025 aquatic invasive species prevention program

(Government of Canada Bulletin)