Comment
As always the actual expectations of those who oppose this activity will far exceed the enforcement of this new legislation. The risk to ecological integrity is very low wrt this activity. I would expect that enforcement will be complaint driven and based on egregious acts (excessive noise, garbage etc.) in proximity to private property owners which may occur in some locations as they do now.
The municipality will get no revenue based on this change to legislation (property taxes) although I think they'd rather see private houseboats and large sleep on boats leave their waters or moor primarily at marinas based on their issues.
I am concerned with the statement regarding sale of public lands for socio-economic purposes with the caveat of ecological concern. Laughable given the Greenbelt fiasco. These sales should not occur on natural lake trout lakes or lakes at capacity.
None of the proposed changes change the issue of water quality or taxes or volume of houseboat traffic although making them move every 7 days, if it happens, will cause more traffic unless the new regulations dissuade private houseboating.
As a waterfront user on a lake where multiple houseboat rental operations ply the waters I believe the operators do a credible job of directing their clients to specific mooring sites that don't occupy prime canoe camper sites in a high volume canoe camping area. They do enforce their self generated rules with their clients in order to minimize conflicts.
A new issue may be emerging on Lake Nipissing where some non local anglers pull long stay personal ice bungalows onto the near shore area they can drive to and live in them rather than rent a cabin or motel room. A near shore personal ice motel room rather than an ice bungalow out on the ice that is easily removed at the end of the season.
Not sure how different this is from a houseboat or a true ice bungalow out on the lake. I suppose we will find out if a small community of them occupy the North Bay shoreline in front of waterfront property owners every winter.
Supporting links
Submitted March 10, 2023 5:17 PM
Comment on
Proposal to amend Ontario Regulation 161/17 to the Public Lands Act to change the requirements related to floating accommodations
ERO number
019-6590
Comment ID
83056
Commenting on behalf of
Comment status