Clear Lake tour boat operator wants federal compensation after efforts to fight zebra mussels ground business

Posted on September 14, 2024 by Peggy

A marina and tour vessel operator in western Manitoba is calling for federal compensation after his business was halted as part of efforts to prevent the spread of zebra mussels in Clear Lake.

Kelsey Connor has been operating Clear Lake Marina and the Martese tour boat out of Wasagaming, located in Riding Mountain National Park, since 2015.

In May, Parks Canada banned watercraft on Clear Lake for the summer in light of what it said was a “likely invasion” of zebra mussels, after a live clump of the invasive species was removed from the lake last November.

The Martese was initially exempt from the boat ban.

But after Parks Canada said more evidence of zebra mussels was found in July, including a positive zebra mussel environmental DNA sample near the marina the Martese operates out of, the agency paused the tour vessel’s operations.

The efforts to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species are essential, said Connor, but they’ve come at a cost to his business — and he thinks Parks Canada should provide compensation.

Without help, he worries the marina and Martese won’t stay afloat.

A hand holding zebra mussels is pictured. — Efforts to halt the spread of zebra mussels were introduced this summer after a live clump of the invasive species was removed from Clear Lake last November. (Austin Grabish/CBC)

“We want to be part of the long-term solution for this place and try to keep Clear Lake as amazing and as pristine as it is,” Connor said.

“But because of the very same thing that we’re trying to fight, we might not make it through, which is really, really upsetting.”

Connor told CBC he couldn’t say how much revenue the business lost due to zebra mussel mitigation efforts, but he’s spent September reaching out to anyone who could offer a life raft, including the provincial and federal governments.

He said on Sept. 6, he contacted the park’s superintendent about the financial impacts of the mitigation efforts but was told by Parks Canada it has no agreement or responsibility for the marina and the Martese.

In a letter dated Sept. 9 to federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, Connor asked that Parks Canada be held accountable for the mitigation efforts that he said are devastating the viability of his businesses.

CBC News requested comment from Parks Canada, but the federal agency did not provide comment by deadline.

Crews prepare to deploy an almost two-kilometre curtain from Clear Lake’s Boat Cove. — Crews prepare to deploy an almost two-kilometre curtain from Clear Lake’s Boat Cove to Wasagaming’s main beach, intended to contain the spread of zebra mussels, on July 31. The curtain was only in place for two days before it was dislodged by winds. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)

Typically, the Marina and tour boat would employ around 25 staff each summer, said Connor. This year, only 10 staff members were called in because of the uncertainty around water access.

To compensate for the boat’s grounding, the Martese remained open for drinks on the dock, but that was only a temporary fix to keep staff paid, said Connor.

Right now, he said he’s hesitant to spend any money on maintaining operations because there’s no guarantee the boat will be back on the water again anytime soon.

He thinks better communication is needed from Parks Canada about plans for stopping the spread of zebra mussels next summer.

In addition to the watercraft ban, the efforts this year included installing an impermeable curtain in the lake, intended to contain zebra mussels to one corner. It was only in place for two days before it was dislodged by winds.

Fear for the future

Kyle Bazylo, a board member with the Clear Lake Cabin Association, says it’s been tough getting updates from Parks Canada about the zebra mussels and plans to fight an infestation.

“We’re kind of left dumbfounded about what’s going to go on,” he said. “We were kind of left in the dark.”

Some community members fear next summer will bring the same uncertainty, Bazylo said.

His association would like to see weekly updates from Parks Canada, which is especially important for planning for businesses like the marina and Martese that rely on lake access.

“It would be very disappointing to see the marina and the Martese not be part of Clear Lake anymore,” Bazylo said. “People know it when they come to Clear Lake.”

Connor said he wants to play a role in the long-term future of Clear Lake, but that depends on whether his businesses survive.

“I’ve been telling the park for a very long time that I would like to do this for the foreseeable future,” Connor said. But “short term, we don’t have any security.”