Traction kiting

Visitor Activity Guidelines

Traction Kiting

Date of Approval: May 2010

Description of Activity

Traction kiting - General (Cerf-volant de traction – général): Traction kiting activities include those that use kites, also called power kites, to slide over snow, ice, water or land.

Traction kiting on land (Cerf-volant de traction sur terre ferme): This is the first step to kiting. The participant learns to manoeuvre the kite on land. Once mastered, the participant is pulled by the kite with the use of a buggy, a skateboard, roller skates, etc.

Traction kiting on water (Cerf-volant de traction sur l’eau): Commonly called kitesurfing or kiteboarding, this surface water sport uses wind power to pull a kiter standing on a small surfboard, wakeboard, etc. equipped with foot-straps or bindings.

Traction kiting on frozen surfaces (Cerf-volant de traction sur surface gelée): Kiteskiing or snowkiting, is a winter variant of traction kiting. Kiters use the power of a kite to glide over snow or ice, on a snowboard, skis or skates.

National Direction

The various forms of the traction kiting activity described above were evaluated as a group of activities because of their similar nature and use of similar equipment and safety gear.

Parks Canada approves traction kiting at the national level in accordance to the following national guidelines.

While traction kiting is approved at the national level, the activity may not be approved at all Parks Canada locations. In places where this activity is approved, additional guidelines may be created in order to meet location-specific needs.

Activity Guidelines

General Conditions

Resource inventories, assessments and ongoing monitoring will inform the site selection and ongoing management as necessary, especially as it pertains to species sensitive to disturbances related to kites.
Safety, risk and liability will be considered during the local assessment and throughout the ongoing management of traction kiting.
Management of traction kiting can be assumed by either Parks Canada or a third-party who must obtain appropriate permits and licenses, and adequate liability insurance.
Commercial operators offering traction kiting opportunities will be well versed in Parks Canada’s mandate and will provide interpretive messages to participants.
Participants will use existing trails and roads to access areas where traction kiting is offered.
Traction kiting will be practiced according to industry/association standards and rules.

Special Thanks

Parks Canada wishes to thank everyone who participated in the consultation to develop these guidelines.

These guidelines are subject to change in response to future market trends and to the evolution of technical elements related to the activities.

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