The city will be going after Okanagan Lake tour boat operators who don鈥檛 have a municipal dock licence.

According to Ron Forbes, a former property manager with the city who assisted with implementing the dock licence program, 11 companies have their licence, seven are currently applying and 12 have said they will not be using municipal docks.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what they said and we will tell you right now that鈥檚 not true,鈥� said Forbes. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got video evidence of a company who was using the boat launches this (past) weekend.鈥�

Forbes did not name the company but added there were 16 calls to bylaw for unlicensed companies using city boat launches and two $500 tickets were issued.

鈥淭hey were told to leave, refused to leave and they were ticketed for that.鈥�

Licensed companies will now have a sticker on their vessels, something Forbes said all operators have been advised of.

鈥淪o if they don鈥檛 see the sticker and they see a rental going on, we鈥檝e invited them to give bylaw a call. That鈥檚 been part of the number of calls coming in, are rental companies saying 鈥業鈥檝e paid my dues, these guys haven鈥檛, let鈥檚 go get 鈥榚m.鈥欌��

Forbes also said video cameras at docks will be monitored and if an unlicensed company is seen using one bylaw can be sent to ticket them. Council approved licensing fees for commercial operators in March. Forbes said one of the key successes has been a reduction in commercial demand at city-owned docks.

鈥淭welve companies have made alternate launching arrangements. Anecdotal evidence suggests there鈥檚 been a little bit less congestion.鈥�

He noted that launches are still very busy.

鈥漎ou will get people who will tell you they鈥檝e waited 45 minutes to launch their boat on a Saturday when it鈥檚 30 C outside and they don鈥檛 like sitting in their vehicles, added Forbes.鈥�

Capital News has spoken with several commercial operators, some licensed and some not, who are concerned several private boat owners are offering tours for payment yet are not required to have a dock licence.

READ MORE: 11 men tossed into Okanagan Lake after pontoon boat flips

READ MORE: 鈥業鈥檓 on a boat鈥�: Rental service expands to 琉璃神社

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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