Bulletins

Restricted activity order: Mooring

Issued: February 27, 2025

What:
Pursuant to Section 7(1) of the National Parks General Regulations and pursuant to the Trespass to Property Act of Ontario, the following activities are prohibited by order of the Superintendent:

  • Occupying dock space without a valid permit. Self-serve permits are only valid if all fields are completed, appropriate fees are paid, and deposited in the self-registration payment vault.
  • Mooring without immediately obtaining a valid permit.
  • Mooring after 1100 a.m. on the day the permit expires.
  • Saving dock space. Dockage is on a first come first served basis. A valid permit for mooring does not guarantee your dock space. If you choose to depart, your space may be taken by another vessel.
  • Obtaining more than one mooring permit of any kind. Secondary vessels (tenders) must be beached or tied off to the primary vessel in a fashion that does not impede access to any other dock space.
  • Rafting. Rafting is no longer permitted on any docks within the park. The term ‘rafting’ refers to the activity where one or more vessels tie off or are attached by any means (raft) to a vessel that is moored to a dock.
  • Rafting, anchoring, impeding, or occupying space within 8 meters radius of any docking facility regardless if the dock is occupied or unoccupied.
  • Mooring vessels stern or bow in. All vessels must be parallel to dock.
  • Obstructing dock space with marked yellow line. This dock space is reserved for park staff and emergency personnel only.
  • Impeding access to the dock with any item in the water or on top of the dock.
  • Mooring rigid hull inflatable vessels (often referred to as dinghies or tender vessels) on any dock, for any duration of time.
  • Mooring oversized vessels. Vessels must be the appropriate size for the available dock space. Large vessels may only moor to the dock in situations where they do not impede access to other slips.
  • Servicing of any kind to vessels while moored at a docking facility.
  • Mooring aircrafts.
  • Leaving personal articles or equipment on docks.
  • Creating excessive noise and/or unreasonable behaviour at any time. Quiet hours are from 11:00 pm until 8:00 am.
  • Consumption or use of alcohol/cannabis between the hours of 11:00 pm until 8:00 am.
  • Hunting, possessing, disturbing, touching or feeding wildlife.
  • Leaving any food or wildlife attractants unattended. All attractants must be stored and/or disposed of in the appropriate bear proof facility.
  • Littering of any material.
  • Allowing pets to be at large. Pets must be restrained by a leash (3 metres max), or confined to a container, enclosure, or vessel.
  • Igniting or possessing fireworks.
  • Removing, defacing, damaging, destroying, possessing, or searching for any flora, natural objects, or prehistoric/cultural artifacts.
  • Mooring floating accommodations except with written authorization from the Superintendent. Floating accommodation means a floating building, structure or thing, or a combination of floating buildings, structures or things, equipped or useable for overnight accommodation and not primarily designed to be used for navigation, and includes a floating building, structure or thing, or a combination of floating buildings, structures or things that:
    1. is primarily designed for or able to be used for residential purposes,
    2. is a raft, barge or floating platform that has on top of it a building, structure, vehicle, or thing that may be used for overnight accommodation, for camping purposes or as an outdoor accommodation,
    3. would reasonably be expected to require towing to be placed on land or is placed on land by means of towing or any other type of assistance,
    4. is equipped with jack-up technology or a similar mechanism used to anchor or rise above the surface of the water, with or without spud cans or
    5. has a floating foundation or a floatation platform which may include floats constructed of polystyrene, plastic, concrete or logs and stringers.

Where: 

All docks and docking facilities located within Georgian Bay Islands National Park

Why: 
To promote a quality visitor experience. 

Note:   
Violators may be charged under the Canada National Parks Act and other applicable Provincial/ Federal legislation. Failure to comply may result in immediate cancellation of the mooring permit and/or eviction from Parks Canada property.

Start date:
2025-05-01

End date: 
Until further notice


Restricted activity order and map of affected location with in Georgian Bay Islands National Park

Date modified :