OPP issues warning over ice safety amid recent tragedies

A hockey player skates off the ice after participating in Shinny Hockey Day, a Winterlude festival event where informal hockey rinks were created with pylons, boots or gloves along the Rideau Canal Skateway for minor hockey teams to play shinny, in Ottawa, on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Ontario Provincial Police is urging caution around ice on rivers and lakes following the death of two teenage boys in the Rideau River on Wednesday and a number of similar tragedies around the country this week.

The Upper Ottawa Valley OPP issued a news release Thursday reminding residents that the solid appearance of rivers and lakes does not necessarily equate to safe travel conditions.

"With the recent unfortunate incident in the City of Ottawa, the OPP would like to remind everyone to use caution and assess the ice and its quality before venturing out onto a frozen lake or river in Ontario," the news release said.

"You may think that the first thing you need to do is measure the thickness of the ice, but there are actually two key steps before that."

The tragedy in Ottawa comes after a spike in similar incidents amid a milder than average winter across the country.

RCMP in Alberta confirmed this week that a family of three died after falling through thin ice while riding their UTV in the lead-up to Christmas.

A four-year-old girl also fell into a river in Quebec last week. Her body has not been found.

Police are urging those going near ice on rivers and lakes to follow three steps to check for when assessing ice safety.

These steps include completing a visual inspection of the ice, making note of its colour and measuring the thickness before venturing out.

"It's important to follow these three steps before setting up your fishing rod, tying up your skates or starting the engine of your snowmobile. Do not trust that the ice is safe," OPP said.

Complete a visual inspection

During your visual inspection, always remember that logs and rocks absorb the heat from the sun, which results in faster melting and slower formation of ice.

If you see any of these signs during your visual inspection, do not go out onto the ice:

• cracks, breaks or holes in the ice
• water on top of the ice
• water flowing onto the ice
• ice that's soft or mushy
• flowing springs in spring-fed ponds and lakes
• ice that appears to have thawed and refrozen
• snow on the ice; snow can warm up the ice as it acts like an insulator

Note the colour of the ice

There are three colours of ice and each means different things when it comes to the ice's strength:

• Dull grey is a sure sign of unsafe ice. This grey colour means the ice is unsafe and that water is present. This ice will not support much weight. Grey is very common in the spring and in faster moving water all winter long.
• White opaque ice or snow ice is only half as strong as blue ice. It is formed by wet snow freezing on the top of existing ice. It can be very dangerous if the ice has formed on top of ice that is not completely frozen. When this forms, it takes even longer for the lower-level ice to solidify. This type of ice can cover up danger and has caught even seasoned anglers off guard.
• Blue ice is clear and strong and the safest ice of all. The colour of ice deepens with increasing thickness because water is naturally turquoise blue. It forms when the temperature drops below minus 8 C.

Measure the thickness of the ice

The final step is ice measurement, and this must always be done. Do not test alone; always ensure you're using the buddy system. You can chip the ice with an axe or hatchet to create a small hole in the ice or use an ice auger or spud bar. Then measure the thickness of the ice. Continue to check the ice thickness as you move around the lake.

• The Canadian Red Cross recommends that ice should be at least 15 cm (6 inches) thick to carry a single person, but if heading out with a group of friends for skating, ensure it's 20 centimetres (8 inches).
• Ice thickness for a sled or snowmobile is a minimum of 25 centimetres (10 inches). Always keep in mind when you move around the ice that thickness does vary, so check the depth of the ice often.
• For driving on the ice, the ice should be at least 30 centimetres (12 inches) or more for a light vehicle, according to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. This is 30 centimetres of blue ice, so double that thickness if the ice is white or opaque.

Check with local authorities and never go out on ice at night. Always ensure you have told someone where you are planning to go and your return time. Wear appropriate clothing and bring proper equipment for safety and comfort.