I just read the proposal to…

I just read the proposal to amend Ontario Regulation 161/17 to the Public Lands Act to change the requirements for camping on water over Ontario’s public lands.

I am a recreational boater on southern Georgian Bay. My boat is an express cruiser which has been situated for the past 11 years in a full service marina in southern Georgian Bay. My family enjoy going out of the marina for long weekends and anchoring in designated sheltered anchorages which are mostly undeveloped save for vacant properties with waterfront docks. These sheltered anchorages are far less than 300 metres (1,000 feet) in width from shore to shore. The proposed new condition “to prohibit camping on water within 300 meters of a developed shoreline, including ant waterfront structure, dock, boathouse, …….” would effectively sterilize these anchorages from camping in a majority of the designated anchorages on southern Georgian Bay and elsewhere.

From my experience over the past years these anchorages are widely used by a multitude of recreational boaters who spend their weekends out of their marinas and by more transient boaters who travel the waters of Georgian Bay and use these designated anchorages overnight during their journey.

Side effects from the proposed amendment limiting the use of these anchorages would cause a significant economic hardship on the seasonal commercial businesses located in the surrounding areas. These businesses depend on their summer sales, overnight boaters frequenting their restaurants, food stores, marina gas facilities, LCBO outlets, retail stores, etc., to survive the year.

The proposed amendments would seriously disrupt the existing recreational use of our waterways and achieve no recognizable gain. Current regulations for watercraft with heads require that black water holding tanks be installed on these watercraft. The concern over grey water could be effectively addressed by legislating the installation of grey water holding tanks, on all watercraft with heads, over a five year phase in period. This type of effective legislation would permanently resolve issue of grey water being released into our waterways. Banning camping in certain waterways only moves the release of grey water to a different location of that body of water.

Let us not restrict the peaceful enjoyment of our waterways with this misguided proposed legislation.

Thank you.

Our Waterways Are For Everyone To Enjoy