Debris on Sylvan Lake. (Supplied/Town of Sylvan Lake)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

something's got to give

Debris from fires on frozen lakes an environmental and safety issue, says Sylvan Lake mayor

Oct 17, 2024 | 10:50 AM

The mayor of Sylvan Lake says something’ has to give in the name of creating a safer environment for Alberta lakes, people who have fires on them while they’re frozen, as well as summertime users.

That was the subject of a Town of Sylvan Lake resolution put forth for the Alberta Municipalities conference in Red Deer last month. Unfortunately, it was one of a handful that were cut due to time constraints.

That means the resolution itself will be considered by the Alberta Municipalities board of directors in the near future.

Regardless, the problem still exists and requires a solution, the town believes.

According to the town’s resolution, which seeks a provincial regulation on how fires should be kept, debris from fires lit directly on a frozen lake poses a threat to the ecosystem upon melting, and it poses risks to people using the lake during warmer months.

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Debris such as nails, garbage and tires have all been found in Sylvan Lake, for example. Mayor Megan Hanson says they even found a vehicle engine in the lake one time.

But there’s one key problem: according to Hanson, municipalities like Sylvan Lake don’t have jurisdiction over lakes; the province does.

That means clean-up crews can’t even go into the lake to clean up, Hanson says.

Hanson says people have come out of the lake having stepped on nails, which is likely due to the large amount of wooden pallets that end up at the bottom.

“We’re suggesting a [provincial] regulation that would require those fires to be in some sort of container, like a raised pit or a barrel,” says Mayor Hanson.

“We’ve had some awful cases of things bring dragged out, and injuries that required stitches, all from things that end up in a lake but shouldn’t be.”

Communication from the province has been limited, Hanson says.

She also says the town has not conducted any actual environmental assessments, but again, that’s because it’s not their jurisdiction.

“[Because of that], spending taxpayer dollars on such a study is probably not something that would be incredibly well-received,” she says.

According to the resolution, people are supposed to call 310-LAND if experiencing an issue on a lake (or any Crown land), but Sylvan Lake has deemed that channel ineffective.

“They’re not well-staffed. It’s not like someone attends when you call the number; you’re really just reporting it,” says Hanson.

“Last winter, we had close to 30 reports to the town of things being left behind. But we have no authority to go out and deal with it. It puts us in an interesting position.”

Hanson’s message to lake-users, near and far, is to take away all that you came with.

rdnewsNOW asked several questions of Alberta’s Environment Ministry and Public Safety Ministry.

“Albertans are obliged by law to clean up any garbage and leave no trace when they are finished an activity on Alberta’s lakes or public lands,” says Ryan Fournier, Environment’s press secretary.

“If an Albertan spots environmental or public safety concerns on public lands, they can report this to 310-LAND. Further information about use of Alberta’s Crown lands and outdoor activities like ice fishing can be found at https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/ice-fishing.aspx.”

If the province provides additional commentary, it will be added to this story.

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READ MORE

• Sylvan Lake council member suing municipality, mayor and CAO for $317,000
• Sylvan Lake still angling for long-term solution to goldfish problem
• Fractious environment the current state of things for municipally-elected officials, says AB Munis president
• Premier, opposition leader speak at AB Munis conference in Red Deer

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