Ontario new regulations of camping on water.

[C0ps]

have you guys in Ontario been aware of these proposed changes? https://wildgreatlakes.com/2023/03/01/o ... -YmS5vQrcs

[pepmyster]

Seems they are attacking those floating cottages that are placed along the shore lines during summer. We see a lot of them in the Thousand Islands. Someone must of complained about them occupying area around some summer cottages. Our boats don't have to worry about this. Interesting.

[Viper]

That's crazy It seems instead of helping it, they're doing their best to destroy the industry. Between taxing the hell out of imports, reduced lock hours, and now restrictions on where we can and can't anchor and for how long, it's no wonder the industry is dying a slow death. There's never any forward thinking with governments until it affects their bottom line. They continue failing to see just how much money boaters bring to small communities. They keep promoting local spending and vacationing but then put rules in place to contradict their message for one segment of the population. What would serve them right is for us to take our money elsewhere where tourism and boaters are welcomed commodities.

I get the targeting of the semi-permanent anchoring for the summer going on but they need to target those specifically rather than blanketing legislation that will cover recreational boating as well. When that happens, they can use it to do whatever they want. The cottager or association with the most pull will use the legislation against them/us and obligate them to enforce.

Somehow I feel that cottage associations have a lot to do with this. They've been lobbying for decades to get boaters out of their backyards. When they tried by saying we were polluting their bays with grey water and failed when tests showed the cause was actually old leaking septic systems, they walked away with their tails between their legs. I'm thinking this might be the result of their newest tactic. It's time for boaters to rally again I guess. Those responsible for this won't be getting MY vote!

[C0ps]

The funniest part of this proposal I read was that anchored boats cause shade in the water, which destroys vegetation at the bottom of the lake! Maybe we should tell cottages to remove their Docks!

[Midnightsun]

Where I boat I can cross over to the US in 5 minutes or to Quebec in 20 minutes where this would not apply if enacted. Impossible to enforce for sure. Can you imagine someone taking count of how many times you have anchored in 1 spot and keep count until you reach seven max nights before they fine you? Lets get real here. Once again some powerful, connected, multi millionaires wanting the entire waterfront to be free of anything they do not like. I cannot see this being applicable for your standard recreational boater as it would destroy many Ontario boating related industries not to mention it would cause safety issues when anchoring if one needs to be 300m from shore which would eliminate most protected bays and coves. Even proposing something this ridiculous is on the border of stupidity if you ask me.

[Midnightsun]

Source of the post The funniest part of this proposal I read was that anchored boats cause shade in the water, which destroys vegetation at the bottom of the lake! Maybe we should tell cottages to remove their Docks!

Oh my, did anyone inform these rocket scientists that a boat swings at anchor. Maybe they should tell mother nature not to allow clouds over water.

[Viper]

The government doesn't have to do the monitoring, the cottagers will do that for them, and the one that screams the loudest or has the most pull will get action no matter the vessel involved.

[bud37]

Somehow I don't think this is directed at regular boaters and won't affect the industry in general. On GBay the parks already have people that collect for anchorage fees now, so there is already some monitoring going on, OPP patrols constantly each day.

Now as far as cottagers are concerned.....consider what they have to deal with every weekend of the summer....dock and boat damage from boat wakes, huge rafts of partiers in their bays, dinghies, jet skis, noise till all hours and this is every weekend not just some....most weeks boats were taken out and anchored mid week and left so they got the desired spot. I can tell you first hand that boaters are their own worst enemies when it comes to this bad behaviour ( NOT ALL boaters mind you ) but it is getting worse, we never used to leave the marina on the weekend when we lived up there because of it.

There is a way to co exist with some common sense and education, there is always two or more sides to any issue, the trick is to recognize the middle ground.

[pepmyster]

So true Bud. Also, maturity also plays a huge hand in these situations. Thinking of which, If my wife and I were able to actually purchase a water front property, and, every week-end there would be an out of control rafting party in front of it, I too would not be a happy camper. I think there want to go after the abusers of our waterways, that's what I think.

[Tireless]

The pictures show exactly where we like to anchor and are within a 1 -2 hours cruise from our Marina. This would impact hundreds of boaters in the area who use these anchorages on a regular basis.

I think these proposed regulations are ridiculous and would clearly have to be challenged by Boating Ontario.

Cottage owners have always had an overwhelming sense of entitlement when it comes to the water, both on the lakes and the canal systems. As boaters we need to be respectful and share the water, but as you know, some boaters don't understand this.

My hope is that this law refers to renovated barges specifically. There is a guy who floated shipping containers on pontoons. I think he has three of them. In the summer he pulls these out onto the waterways and secures it to an island just off the Trent/Severn waterway. It looks like shit and I understand why a cottager would be upset with that. The municipality has been fighting with the guy for a couple of years and he still does it. My understanding is that he is trying to build and sell these to people.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I will pay close attention to this for sure and all we can do is see what developes.

Greg