July 25, 2022
There is a new Parks Canada information page about the Trent-Severn Waterway and vessel restrictions at Lock 44 - Big Chute Marine Railway.
Vessels with beams greater than 11.5’ and that are required to “hang” off the back of the cart or with unique hull configurations that require the oversight of experienced staff, may face delays when experienced staff are on days of rest or away from the site.
Due to staff shortages and therefore a lack of operators with the necessary training to lock through larger vessels, Parks Canada has had to put in place temporary and periodic restrictions based on vessel size or hull configuration. In spite of these restrictions, the Big Chute Marine Railway has remained fully open for operations to all other vessels. These restrictions may continue to be required over weekends for the remainder of the navigation season. Aligning the staff complement this way will allow Parks Canada to try and meet demand at the site and specifically on weekends when traffic is predominantly smaller boats.
We are putting in place measures to train staff and to aid them in the lockage of larger vessels, however this will take time. We understand the inconvenience that this is causing for some boaters and we sincerely appreciate their patience and understanding. Visit: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/trentsevern/visit/situation-big-chute-status
As always, boaters on the Trent-Severn Waterway who are transiting to the Big Chute are encouraged to stay tuned to Twitter @TSWBoaterInfo for the most up-to-date information.
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