THUNDER BAY – One symbol of summer normalcy will return this weekend, as restrictions are eased on recreational boating at Ontario marinas.
Along with other outdoor activities including golf and tennis, recreational boating will be allowed again as of Saturday, following the provincial government's announcement Thursday of a new COVID-19 reopening framework.
Under the provincial stay-at-home order, boaters were previously allowed to put boats in their slips at the Thunder Bay Marina, but could not leave the marina for recreational purposes, said the city’s parks and open spaces manager Cory Halvorsen.
There were limited exceptions, such as to access property or for commercial boating.
As of Saturday, recreational boating is once again permitted from marinas, but only members of the same household can gather on a boat, according to new provincial guidelines that replace the previous colour-coded reopening framework.
Indoor facilities like the boater services building must stay closed, offering access only to washrooms, Halvorsen said.
The uncertainty of the pandemic had done little to deter interest in boating, he said, with demand for slips at the marina staying strong this year.
Restrictions for marinas and boating clubs aren’t set to ease much further under the government’s new reopening framework until Ontario reaches Step 3 – a milestone that requires 70 to 80 per cent of the population to have received at least one dose of the vaccine, along with other metrics.
Still, Halvorsen called the move to allow recreational boating good news, noting the marina operated for much of last summer under restrictions similar to those that will be in place as of Saturday.
