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3mo ago

Alberta Mandates Summer Boat Inspections at Eastern and Southern Borders

The move targets keeping invasive mussels out of Alberta’s waters to avoid costly damage.

Herald photo by ALexandra Noad The Government of Alberta is taking precautions to protect waterways from invasive mussels such as Quagga Mussels (in picture) which latch on to hard surfaces such as ABS pipe in irrigation canals.
New Associate Minister of Water, Grant Hunter, swears the oath of office in Calgary, Alta., Friday, May 16, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The Alberta government is stepping up the fight against zebra mussels and other invasive aquatic species by adding more watercraft inspection stations and more K-9 inspectors.
Alberta Parks workers man the mandatory boat inspection station at the weigh scales near Dunmore. The province is continuing in a dedicated effort to keep Alberta waterways free of invasive aquatic species.--NEWS FILE PHOTO

Overview

  • Alberta said Tuesday that from May 1 to Sept. 30 all motorized and non-motorized watercraft entering from the east or south must stop for inspection.
  • A record 12 inspection stations will operate this season, including a new site at the Chief Mountain border crossing run with Parks Canada and Canada Border Services.
  • Budget 2026 sets aside $5 million over two years for a permanent roadside station near Cold Lake to block common bypass routes at the Alberta–Saskatchewan line.
  • The program is adding two Conservation K-9 teams for a total of three and expanding eDNA testing and hot-wash decontamination tools to speed detection and response.
  • Fines reach $4,200 for skipping an open station and $600 for transporting a boat with the drain plug in, while 2025 checks covered 21,995 boats and stopped 13 carrying mussels from outside Alberta.