(HEAD-CLARA-MARIA TWP, ON) - The Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is currently engaged in a non-criminal death investigation after a man died during a canoeing incident in Head, Clara and Maria Township. At approximately 12:30pm on September 12, 2018 officers responded to Little Lake after a canoe carrying two men and a dog, tipped and took on water resulting in the occupants being ejected from the canoe. All of the occupants of the canoe were wearing personal floatation devices. A 56-year-old man from Ottawa and the dog made it to shore safely. The second man, 83-year-old Merlin BERGERON of Calgary, AB, failed to make it to shore and died at the scene. His body was recovered by police.
A post-mortem has been ordered to determine the cause of death. The death has been deemed non-suspicious.