‘It was entirely foreseeable’: 23 anglers may be asked to pay for portion of dramatic ice rescue near Owen Sound

An Owen Sound councillor thinks that a dramatic ice rescue on Georgian Bay should cost the anglers, not just taxpayers. CTV London's Scott Miller reports.

It’s been nearly a month since 23 ice anglers were plucked from shrinking ice flows off the shores of Owen Sound, Ont.

It was a rescue operation that raised the ire of some in the community, who felt the fishermen should have to pay back emergency services for their time and life-saving efforts.

“There’s some community support in holding people accountable for their actions. Some in the community viewed them as reckless actions that day,” said Owen Sound’s Deputy Mayor Scott Greig.

“So, I think this motion is providing a voice for those residents in our community that are concerned about the expenditure of their tax dollars in that manner.”

• PHOTO GALLERY: 23 people saved from ice in Georgian Bay

Greig is urging his fellow councillors to have city staff compile and send an invoice for the cost of the Owen Sound Fire Department’s response that day. He said the warm temperatures, wind direction, and previous rainfall leading up to the ice expedition on March 8 should have been clear signs for the anglers to stay on shore.

“Locally, we all know that is just the weather conditions that turn the bay over and move ice out. So, it was entirely foreseeable and predictable,” said Greig.

Haliburton man Alfie How, one of the 23 people saved on March 8, doesn’t agree. He says the ice was 16 inches deep in some spots, and no one could have predicted the rapid change in weather that led to a seven-kilometre-wide chunk of lake ice breaking away from shore.

“There were probably 70 to 100 people out there that day, and the unfortunate — 23 of us, I think it was, that got rescued — none of us wanted to be in that situation. So, I don’t really agree with us facing a penalty for it,” said How.

Greig said the Municipality of Grey Highlands invoiced a hiker $15,444 for their rescue operation after they trespassed and then fell to the bottom of Eugenia Falls in 2020.

“That was a totally different situation. Like, those guys were trespassing and there were signs for them not to be there: no trespassing signs, danger signs — and they went ahead and did it,” said How.

Greig’s ice rescue invoice proposal comes before Owen Sound council on April 13.

“There are examples in the past where municipalities have tried to recoup some of those costs for extraordinary emergency services that have been rendered,” he said.

How said that while he is eternally grateful to the emergency responders who risked their lives for him that day, sending him and others an invoice for that rescue is a bridge too far.

“Everybody I spoke to is super grateful that we made it off the ice, and a lot of guys are still scared. Some guys that I spoke to won’t ever ice fish again,” he said frankly. “We’ve pretty much faced the consequences by being out there anyway. And I guarantee every single person on that ice will put a lot more caution into it next time.”

The Grey-Bruce OPP say they have no intention of invoicing the ice fishermen for the March 8 rescue operation.

“We really do appreciate everything those guys did for us that day, outside of whether there are fines or charges or whatever it is. Everybody that I spoke to — and I know I can speak on everyone’s behalf — that we really appreciate and respect the work that those guys do,” said How.

Rescue efforts included the work of OPP Aviation, OPP Marine Unit, Inter Township Fire Department, Owen Sound Fire Department, Hanover Fire Department, North Bruce Peninsula Fire Department, AirOrnge, Grey County Paramedic Services, Bruce County Paramedic Services, Ministry of Natural Resources, Grey-Bruce OPP, Wellington County OPP, and Cobble Beach Golf Course, who opened their facility for aviation units and triage response.

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