Proposal to amend Ontario…

Proposal to amend Ontario Regulation 161/17

I cruise a 35ft sailboat on Lake Ontario and 1000 islands. I agree in general with the proposals to try to eliminate nuisance issues of permanent live-aboard structures and boats abandoned or left long term in the same spot. However, I strongly disagree with the restriction from anchoring within 300m of a developed shoreline. I reviewed my favorite +16 anchorages in the Bay of Quinte and 1000 Islands and this proposed regulation change would remove 75% of the anchorages due to shoreline cottages/homes in these bays. Most cruisers I meet are quiet, polite, and care for the environment. We tend to stay in a spot for 1 or 2 nights only. A good exercise for your study group would be to look up recommended anchorage locations from the Ports Cruising Guides and measure how many would now be illegal for overnight anchoring. The Navionics chart web app makes this easy to do. The 300m restriction would remove many of the anchorages. Please remove this specific clause from the proposed Regulation change.