Work has started at Sturgeon Falls in Whiteshell Provincial Park to install safety measures after two young boys slipped into the rapids last month, provincial officials confirmed this week.
Immediate action following tragedy
The measures follow the deaths of 13-year-old Aaron Au Ramirez and 10-year-old Maximo Au Ramirez, who slipped into the falls in late July. In announcing the upgrades, Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes said the province was acting quickly to reduce risk at the site.
“Our hearts are with every family that has been affected by a tragedy at this site. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to make this site safer and to prevent another family from going through this kind of heartbreak,”
The minister added the province wanted to ensure visitors would be protected when the area reopens.
What the upgrades include
The province says the upgrades aim to provide clearer warnings and physical barriers where hazards are highest. Planned work includes:
- Fencing to restrict public access to slippery rock areas deemed high-risk;
- Updated signage to more clearly warn against swimming and to caution about hidden or slippery rocks and strong currents;
- A new portage to give canoeists and kayakers safe shoreline access near the falls.
Construction is expected to be completed by mid-September, the province said. Officials emphasised that the changes are meant to allow continued recreational use of the park while reducing the chance of similar incidents.
Community concern and provincial response
Provincial officials said they consulted with families, community members and local business owners who raised safety concerns about the site following the drownings. The work is presented as a direct response to those concerns.
The Sturgeon Falls area has been the focus of heightened attention, and public reaction has included calls for clearer warnings and physical barriers to prevent access to hazardous rocks and swift currents. The province framed the measures as balancing public safety with preserving access to natural areas.
Timeline and immediate effects
Construction has begun and is expected to be finished in about a month. The limited timeline suggests the initial works are intended as rapid interventions rather than long-term redesign of the site.
| Measure | Purpose | Expected completion |
|---|---|---|
| Fencing | Prevent access to slippery/high-risk rocks | Mid-September |
| Updated signage | Enhance warnings about currents and hidden rocks | Mid-September |
| New portage | Provide safe shoreline access for paddlers | Mid-September |
Broader context: safety in provincial parks
The province’s move comes amid renewed attention to water-safety practices in Manitoba’s lakes and rivers. Officials pointed to education and physical interventions as complementary approaches to reducing drownings and injuries in parks.
Local businesses and residents in the North Whiteshell area had urged faster action following the search and recovery effort, and provincial officials signalled the upgrades were informed by those discussions.
What visitors should know
Park-goers should expect restricted access to some shoreline areas while work proceeds and should follow updated signage and barriers. Canoeists and kayakers will be able to use the new portage to avoid hazardous stretches of the river near the falls.
Officials have not announced additional long-term studies or further changes beyond the immediate upgrades, but said making the site safer remains a government priority.
As crews work through the coming weeks, the emphasis remains on preventing another family from experiencing the kind of loss that prompted this response. The province’s timeline places completion of the initial upgrades before the leaves change colour, aiming to have the site safer for fall visitors.
