Sayward RCMP said Dakota Smith left his home in a canoe on Nov. 6 and did not return.
The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre alerted police at about 4:20 p.m. that day, prompting an extensive search involving police helicopters and multiple search-and-rescue teams.
A capsized canoe was found near the mouth of the Adams River, but there was no sign of Smith.
The search continued over the following days as crews faced high winds, heavy rain and frigid water temperatures.
“Despite the intensive search through inclement weather consisting of high unpredictable winds, heavy rainfalls and the frigid water temperature, the chances of survivability have drastically been reduced,” the RCMP statement said. “Additionally, the challenging ongoing weather conditions are making it unsafe for water and shoreline searches. For these reasons, the search has now been suspended as of the afternoon of November 9, 2026.”
