ST. PAUL – A submerged vehicle spotted in Floatingstone Lake, which is on the west side of the County of St. Paul, has left local residents frustrated, with authorities struggling to resolve the issue for nearly a year.
For Roland Letendre, a part-time resident of the County, the biggest question he has is why it is taking so long to remove the car. The submerged vehicle, a yellow Mazda, was first reported to the County in late November 2023. The County then reported it to the province.
County of St. Paul Coun. Dale Hedrick told Lakeland This Week that while the road leading to Floatingstone belongs to the County, and the County also has a campground at the lake, the lake itself is not under the County’s jurisdiction.
In a Sept. 13 statement to Lakeland This Week, Jason Wallsmith, CAO at the County, said, "The County is concerned about the circumstances related to the submerged car, but does not have the jurisdiction to rectify the issue."
In the spring of 2024, Letendre spotted the vehicle. The car sits about 25-30 feet from the shore, with its roof just three feet underwater, making it visible to anyone boating in the area.
Letendre contacted multiple agencies, including RCMP, Environment and Protected Areas, Forestry and Parks, and Fish and Wildlife, but has been caught in a “back-and-forth" ever since.
“Nobody wanted to take responsibility for the car,” he said, explaining that he was given the response of “overlapping jurisdictions” many times.
Letendre has a background in emergency services. He is a recipient of the Governor General of Canada’s Fire Service Exemplary Service Medal. Asked if the vehicle would be difficult to remove based on his personal experience, he said a method could involve divers using airbags to float the car and return it to the boat launch.
He said he was not the first individual to spot the vehicle. Several other people did too and reported it to the authorities. But so far, nothing has come of those reports.
Letendre is concerned about the environmental implications associated with a vehicle being submerged in the lake. He worries about the potential leakage of oil, gas, and other fluids from the vehicle into the lake, which is a natural fish-producing body of water.
Letendre stresses that the lake is also used by nearby Indigenous communities for food, adding to the urgency of removing the car.
“We’re coming up on one year [that the car has been submerged] at the end of this month . . . that is completely unacceptable,” Letendre says, adding he just wants the car taken out of the lake.
Although the car is in a more remote part of the lake, Letendre warns that if people were swimming or fishing in the area, it could pose a safety risk.
On Sept. 13, Dennis Silliker, detachment commander with St. Paul RCMP, told Lakeland This Week he has been in contact with a member of the Navigation Protection Program of Transport Canada about the issue. The program’s responsibilities include inland waterways.
“I’ve been informed that this submerged vehicle in Floatingstone Lake falls under their area of responsibility. From my understanding, they are assessing the situation” he says.
Lakeland This Week reached out to Alberta’s Ministry of Forestry and Parks for information but had yet to hear back as of Lakeland This Week’s press deadline.
An update will be provided as more information is made available.
