Annual Watercraft Pass

Invasive mussels destroy ecosystems, threaten shorelines and can cause hundreds of millions in damaged infrastructure. Alberta is currently free of zebra, quagga, and golden mussels, but reports are increasing across Canada and the United States. Watercrafts are the main mode of overland transportation and introduction of invasive mussels, among other invasive species.  

The Government of Alberta is taking action to better understand how watercraft are used in Alberta to better mitigate the risk of introducing aquatic invasive species. One option being considered is the implementation of a watercraft pass. If implemented, watercraft owners would provide information as to the types and number of watercraft they use within Alberta. If implemented, the pass may have a fee which could support funding for prevention, monitoring and education on aquatic invasive species and the threat they pose to Alberta ecosystems. Indigenous peoples carrying out Section 35 rights will be exempt from purchasing an annual watercraft pass.