The deadline to remove permanent ice huts from many of the region’s waterways has come and gone, but there were still some on the ice on Monday
On Lake Simcoe, there were at least three permanent huts still on the ice. CTV Barrie crews found one near Innisfil Beach Park and two others pulled close to shore. The deadline to remove huts was Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry had officers out on the weekend. All permanent huts must have a registration number clearly marked, so officers can find who it belongs to. If a hut is left out past the deadline, the owner could be fined as much as $25,000.
“Usually every year we get a couple of huts that are left on the ice,” says Mike Campese of the MNRF.
Crews also found what appeared to be the base of a hut on Kempenfelt Bay. If not picked up, the wood will end up floating away once the ice melts.
“It's a public safety issue for boaters. If they go through the ice they're floating on the surface; it can be hard to see them and if a boat hits it, it could be serious injuries,” he says. “(It) also pollutes the lake as well.”
People are still allowed to fish in huts as long as they take them off the ice at the end of the day. The white fish, trout and walleye seasons are closed, but people can still catch perch and pike.
Further north, ice huts don't have to be off the ice until the end of the month. If you have a hut and are unsure if it needs to come off the ice, you can visit the MNRF website for more information.
