Is it a boat or a house?
That’s the question the Gloucester Pool Cottagers’ Association (GPCA), along with over 30 other lake associations, have asked the federal Minister of Transport to weigh in on. Currently, Transport Canada classifies these houses as ‘vessels’ in Ontario and, as such, they are exempt from all forms of local oversight and regulation, including building code adherence, environmental protection, navigation and public safety, taxation and location management.
In British Columbia, however, Transport Canada classifies these structures as float homes, enabling provincial and municipal control over building standards, location management and more.
GPCA is asking the Minister for consistency with the precedent it established in British Columbia in 2001. These are float homes, not vessels, and should be regulated locally.
We need your vocal support before it’s too late! We need to be noisy!
Please:
1) E-mail this letter today! Click here and replace “Concerned Muskoka Resident” with your name and send. You may also copy and paste these images into your email for greater visual impact:
2) Sign a Petition. Petitions to the federal government need 25 original signatures. One signature per property. Must be signed by a legal property owner.
Click here for the petition and here for instructions on how to collect and send signatures. Deadline for sending petition is July 14.
If you are a member of a club, island or road association, or can rally some of your cottage friends and neighbours to sign a petition, please help!
Thank you.