Hi there, I think it was a…

Hi there,

I think it was a mistake to not end the leases in 2017 as per the original agreement. However, although it was a long extension, I liked the proposal here https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/011-1300 better than this one. At least it was a reasonable length of time, and it was final. This one is just postponing the problem to 2038 with no finality at all.

One three-year and two two-year extensions... now it's not as high profile anymore. Your proposals are getting softer and softer... what happens in 14 years? The same darn thing. This is costing the taxpayers a lot of money with all the work going on behind the scenes on this file.

Make a final decision and stick with it, and with the consequences. For example, many honorable cottagers left because they kept to the original lease agreement!! Be like that.

If you terminate the leases, you are keeping with the government's mandate there to put ecological integrity as a priority. If you don't, then you are serving the interests of a few hundred well-off people with really cheap cottages (who throw fits when they have to meet their agreements), instead of the people of Ontario as a whole and the natural habitat that could exist there if these leases ended. You should at least start charging more for the leases (at least fair market value for rental of the land!)... I should think that these people can afford it if they really want to stay badly enough.

I looked for the plan amendment wording attachment to the posting but didn't find it. What's online is about the 2022 amendment. As such, I assume the plan amendment is ONLY changing "2024" to "2038", but it would be good to have that clarification in the posting itself.

In summary, if you must do this, please have a final and binding decision in 2038 associated with the lease extension. As well, get an appraiser and start charging fair market value rent for each leaseholder based on each parcel's land value.

Thanks.