Norman Armand Martell, 56 was released from hospital early Wednesday evening after the morning incident on Meadow Lake.
The lake is part of the Waterhen First Nation, about 45 kilometres north of Meadow Lake.
The canoeist's troubles began early Wednesday. Residents of the First Nation headed out to help when it became clear something was wrong.
"By the time the fog lifted, the ice started to freeze and he was stuck out in the middle of that little bay area of the lake," Victor Mark, one of the rescuers, told CBC News. "He got stuck out in the middle of the ice. Because we wondered what he was doing there. I guess on the way back it froze up on him."
Mark said the rescuers took turns in a rowboat, paddling and chopping at the ice for 4½ hours.
RCMP said the man in the canoe tried to make his way to shore across the ice, but it was not thick enough to support him.
Police said they were called around 11 a.m. CST and they immediately began to marshal an ice rescue team from the Meadow Lake fire department, as well as other emergency crews.
"After many attempts to retrieve this male, he was successfully rescued, treated on scene by the Meadow Lake ambulance, and transported to the Meadow Lake Hospital," police said.
via: huffingtonpost
