What happened to the motorboat ban in Gatineau Park

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal NewsPublic Service What happened to the motorboat ban in Gatineau Park Despite years of promises (and 16 years after an initial deadline) the NCC still allows motorboats in Gatineau Park. Author of the article: By Michael McBean Published Sep 03, 2026 Last updated 3 hours ago 3 minute read Join the conversation Jean-Paul Murray poses for a portrait at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre in Chelsea, Que. PHOTO BY SPENCER COLBY /POSTMEDIA Article content Jean-Paul Murray says he has spent years waiting for motorboats to disappear from Gatineau Park. Article content The National Capital Commission promised in its 2005 master plan to gradually eliminate motorized boats from park lakes by 2010, said Murray, a local activist. Article content Article content That deadline came and went. Article content More than 15 years later, Murray said he still sees gas-powered boats on Meech Lake and La Pêche Lake. Article content Article content “The NCC has made repeated commitments to ban motorboats,” Murray said. “The boats are still there despite all the NCC commitments.” Article content The Evening Citizen The Ottawa Citizen’s best journalism, delivered directly to your inbox by 7 p.m. on weekdays. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content But there is currently no federal restriction prohibiting motorboats on Gatineau Park lakes, Transport Canada wrote in a statement to the Ottawa Citizen. Article content That clashes with how the NCC has described the rules on its own website, describing motorboats as prohibited in the park: “For conservation reasons, the use of motorboats … is prohibited in Gatineau Park.” Article content Asked by the Citizen about its motorboat rules, the NCC said Transport Canada has jurisdiction over navigable waters in the park and that it would fix its website. Article content “We will amend our webpage to clarify our policy,” NCC spokesperson Maryam El-Akhrass said in a statement. Article content A pair of fishermen on a motorized boat on La Pêche Lake near Le Haven Que., on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. PHOTO BY SPENCER COLBY /POSTMEDIA Article content The NCC said its boat launches do not provide access for motorized watercraft and are designed for non-motorized boats. Article…