Uber app expands to Muskoka for safer summer boating

Uber ride-share app expands to cottage country A new boating season means safety reminders like not drinking and boating. Katherine Ward has more on a new service that could help.

The May long weekend has a lot of cottagers excited to get out on the water, but that comes with some safety concerns when it comes to boating.

Area lakes and rivers are still very cold, and that can be dangerous.

Angelo Vilardo has been itching to get out on his boat all winter, but the cold weather is holding him back.

“Usually this is the weekend when everybody gets excited, gets ready, prepares for summer,”

he says. “Unfortunately the weekend is a little too cool to do the things you want to do.”

The May long weekend is often considered the kick-off to the boating season. But summer temperatures still haven't arrived, and boaters are concerned about staying safe around the chilly water.

“If we see some warm air temperatures this weekend, that can fool us a little bit,” says Cameron Taylor, president BoatSmart. “Because if the air is warm we're maybe thinking the water is getting warmer as well.”

However, he says it’s still cold this time of year.

Taylor says hypothermia is still a real concern, and can set in fast.

“As quickly as 10 minutes you can start to lose some muscles control and your body can start to slow down,” he says. “Within one hour you can be in serious trouble.”

Cold water isn't the only concern on the water, however.

And in Muskoka, a new company is looking to address drinking and boating. The ride-share program Uber has expanded its car service to now include boats in Muskoka. You access it by using an app on your phone.

“We wanted to make sure that water taxis were easy and accessible for cottage goers in Muskoka,” says Uber Toronto’s Lucas Samuels. “Our app enables people to basically pop it open, see available water taxis in real time and request through the app and pay through the app. It's super easy.”

The service costs $1 per minute with a minimum fee of $20. All of the drivers have had background and driving checks. Once you request a driver using the app, they locate you by using GPS coordinates.

For now the service will only be available on long weekends throughout the summer on Lake Joseph and Lake Rosseau, but there are plans to expand it in the future.