GBA 2021 - Fall Flippingbook

News and I nformat i on f rom the Georg i an Bay Assoc i at i on GBA U P D A T E Your Voice on the Bay

Vol. 31 No. 3, Fall 2021

INS IDE :

Keeping the Peace and Quiet: The Decibel Coalition

PAGE 4

By Rob Bosomworth, Director of Safe Quiet Lakes

Lake Wolsey Fish Farm Remains Open

E xcessively noisy boats are a persistent, pervasive, and growing problem on many of our waterways in Canada, and the Decibel Coalition is working hard to do something about it. Established in November of 2019 by Safe Quiet Lakes ( safequiet.ca ), the Coalition is working to have Transport Canada enhance the current regulations for boat motor mufflers to include sound performance standards measured in decibels. They also want easy, efficient, and effective enforcement procedures. More than 40 lake associations and eight municipalities have joined the Coalition or publicly support its goals. These associations represent more than 90,000 lakefront property owners across Canada from Vancouver Island to the Eastern Townships in Quebec. The Georgian Bay Association (GBA) was one of the early members and continues to be a strong supporter. In fact, a number of the municipalities that support the Coalition joined on the recommendation of the GBA. You can see all the members/ supporters on the map here: https://tinyurl.com/nes99zxu . Jurisdiction of Canadian waterways lies with the federal government, so the Coalition needs to be national in scope. Small vessel regulations, which are administered by Transport Canada, require that most motorboats have a working muffler. Unfortunately, the definition of muffler is difficult to apply and police agencies have stopped enforcing it, much to everyone’s frustration. Unlike Canada, decibel limits for noise from motororized boats are well established in the United States and Europe. In the US, 30 states have legislations regulating boat noise levels measured in decibels. Many are based on the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Motorboat Noise Act ( https://tinyurl. com/46ufhftx ). This act references two measurement procedures established by internationally recognized Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE). ≥ SAE J2005 measures noise levels while the boat is stationary with the motor in idle. The recommended decibel limit for this measurement is 88 dB, about as loud as a food blender. • This procedure is preferred by enforcement officers as it is very easy to perform and takes very little time.

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Keeping Members Engaged During COVID

GBA Honourary Life Member William Grenville “Dutch” Davis....2 100 Years of the West Carling Association...........................................5 Incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into Protecting the Great Lakes..............6 Return to the Bay: US Residents Get Back to their Happy Place..........8 President’s Report.............................11 ED’s Advocacy Report.......................12 Upcoming Events...............................14

PM # 40038178

The Decibel Coalition is working to create boating decibel limits.

Photo: Rolfe Jones

Continues on page 2

Continued from page 1

≥ SAE J1970 measures noise while a boat is passing by. The recommended noise level is 75 dB, about as loud as a vacuum cleaner. • This measurement procedure takes more time to perform and is not often used. However, this is the noise we hear when sitting by the water. When sound levels go above 75 dB, conversation is interrupted and you either have to stop talking or raise your voice to be heard. In November 2020, Transport Canada began public discussions on updating the boat mufflers section in the small vessel regulations at their semi-annual Canadian Marine Advisory Council (CMAC). They discussed it again at the April 2021 meeting. The Decibel Coalition is actively engaged with the staff at Transport Canada and this issue will be on the agenda again at the next CMAC meeting in November. Having Transport Canada bring this to the public forum is very

significant as it means they recognize that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Broad support from waterfront associations and municipalities from across the country give the Coalition tremendous credibility, as does the backing of Safe Quiet Lakes. After the federal election this fall, the Decibel Coalition will start the process of obtaining political support from members of parliament. How Can You Help? The Coalition has started a national petition through change.org . Numbers and representation from across Canada matter, so please visit: https://tinyurl.com/t448cv9x to sign the petition and raise the profile of this important issue. With your support, the Decibel Coalition will make our waterways a quieter, more respectful place for all.

OBITUARY GBA Honourary Life Member William Grenville “Dutch” Davis 1929-2021

By Rolfe Jones, GBA President

A long-time supporter of the GBA, Bill approached the Bay the same way he approached politics - quietly and effectively. While his accomplishments are too many to list, he will be remembered most for the kindness and decency with which he carried himself. Never one to draw attention to himself or his contributions, he always made himself available to provide his counsel or lend quiet advice if it meant the betterment of the Bay or his community. Most of us are unaware of just how many good deeds he helped make happen - but happen they did, because of the quiet stories people tell about how this or that came to be with Bill in the background. Bill was happy that the light and praise should fall on them because he was happy to help and in no hurry to take the credit.

Kathleen and Bill Davis

Photo: Ian Davis

W ith the passing of former Premier Bill Davis this summer, Canada lost a great statesman, Ontario lost a great and highly respected former premier, and Georgian Bay lost a truly great friend. “Dutch,” as he was known to his many friends, loved his family, his home and community in Brampton, and his favourite place: his Cognashene cottage on Georgian Bay.

We have lost a brilliant and humble man, an able politician, a deeply committed family man and a friend. Those who knew Bill were lucky to know him and those who didn’t were lucky to have him pulling for them in his quiet, capable way. Thank you Bill for all the things you’ve done and for the many we didn’t even know about.

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GBA UPDATE Fall 2021

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AQUACULTURE Lake Wolsey Fish Farm Remains Open

By GBA Aquaculture Committee

G BA’s Aquaculture Committee has been advocating for fish farms in Georgian Bay and the North Channel of Lake Huron to comply with international guidelines and standards on aquaculture operations for more than 22 years. During that time, two operations have been shut down due to pollution at La Cloche Channel and Grassy Bay, northeast of Little Current (see map). GBA also understood that the Lake Wolsey fish farm in the North Channel on Manitoulin Island was permanently closed but, much to our dismay, it has restarted. The Lake Wolsey site would not be approved under current aquaculture licensing conditions because of the lack of flushing capacity in lower-depth waters below the cages. Adequate flushing is required to remove aquaculture-related fish waste, which is a major contributor of phosphorus. Phosphorous is key contributor to algal growth. From 1999 to 2018, Lake Wolsey experienced an accelerating series of blue-green algae blooms, including every year from 2015 to 2018. During this period, a downward trend in dissolved oxygen concentrations in the water was observed. This has led to instances of a complete lack of dissolved oxygen over large areas of this bay, which is extremely harmful to fish and other aquatic biota which must have oxygen to survive. To date no remediation measures have been taken, and it is not clear how the increased fish waste has affected the organisms that live in and around the fish farm. As a result of these issues, the operation was closed down by owner Blue Goose Foods, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) licence was cancelled in 2019. However, an unlicensed operation has now opened at the

site and is currently under investigation by the Enforcement Branch of MNRF. We understand that the Sheshegwaning First Nation are in discussions with the current operator of the unlicensed facility to support the operation. The Sheshegwaning are also in partnership with John O Foods to operate a fish farm adjacent to their reserve lands, which we understand is well located, underwent a rigorous environmental assessment, and is planned to become a large operation. In periods of high water levels in Lake Huron, the Lake Wolsey embayment experiences higher flushing rates and the probability of algae outbreaks and low dissolved oxygen problems are lower. However, in low water levels periods, the reverse is true. Further, water temperatures are steadily increasing, which will increase the potential for both algae outbreaks and low oxygen levels in the water. Since we are probably heading towards a period of lower water levels, it is likely that Lake Wolsey’s water quality will be further compromised and future algae blooms will occur, especially if water temperatures continue to increase due to climate change. This increases the risk of poor production from the fish farm as well as taste and odour issues and potential toxic contamination. Accordingly, it would be prudent to shut this operation down without delay and ensure that Lake Wolsey is not used for commercial fish production in the future. GBA is actively working with MNRF and other stakeholders to achieve this.

For further information, please see: https://tinyurl.com/2ynzc2bu

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WEST CARLING ASSOCIATION

By Allison Needham, UPDATE Deputy Editor

100 Years of the West Carling Association

T he West Carling Association (WCA) turned 100 years old this year. Unfortunately, there was not a lot we could do to recognize this milestone, as the pandemic put any public celebrations on hold until next year. Nevertheless, WCA’s Membership Committee helped keep our membership engaged with some unique contests and other events, as outlined in our article on membership engagement on page 10. In the meantime, we would like to recognize this achievement with a few facts about the WCA and some pictures of the area over the past 100 years.

Made up of seasonal and year-round residents in Carling Township, the WCA area extends from Pengally Bay to north of Dillon and all of the offshore islands from Rose Island out to Bateau Island, the Minks and the Twin Sisters

A Pictorial History of West Carling

DID YOU KNOW? ≥ Carling

Township was established in 1897 and was named after Sir John Carling,

president of the Carling Brewing and Malting Company. ≥ The West Carling formed in 1921 as the Carling Cottages Association. ≥ The name was changed to the WCA in 1979. ≥ The North Sound Association (formed in 1977) amalgamated with the WCA in 2021. Association (WCA) was

Left: Snug Harbour Marine, about 1940; Right: Gilly’s Snug Harbour Restaurant and Marine 2021.

Top: Cottages on West Wind Trail, 1980s. Bottom: Today.

Walter and Florence Graham’s home at Snug Harbour, 1949.

At left, Adam Brown’s cottages, about 1940. Brown was the lighthouse keeper at Red Rock from 1898-1937. He also looked after the Snug Harbour light from 1909-1914. Right: The Chambers family now enjoys this historic spot year-round.

Walter Graham’s home, 2015.

Historic photos courtesy of Carling Historical and Heritage Committee Other photos: Allison Needham

Left: The Bon Aire Island cottage (seen here in 1908) had siding of flattened calcium carbide cans retrieved from the nearby Snug Harbour lighthouse. Right: Bon Aire in 2021.

First cottage on Franklin Island built in 1908 by W.P. Christie.

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WATER QUALITY

Swimmable, Drinkable, Fishable, and Alive: Incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into Protecting the Great Lakes

By Doug Whitton

S wimmable, drinkable, and fishable describes the original 1972 mandate for the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Act (GLWQA). Recently, thanks to a shift in mainstream attitudes about lakes, streams, and rivers, that mandate also includes the word “living.” This reflects the idea in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) that water is an entity, in contrast to Western beliefs where water is considered a commodity. Since the GLWQA was originally defined by Western standards, an Indigenous knowledge and worldview were

will give us the best chance to save our environment under increasing threats. In an effort to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into the GLQWA, the Great Lakes Executive Committee (GLEC), the Canada-US bilateral organization that oversees the GLWQA, sponsored a speaker series related to TEK this spring. The series brought together Tribal, First Nation, Métis, state, provincial, federal, academic, non-governmental and other participants in the US and Canada who share an interest in the role of Indigenous knowledge and how to appropriately bridge knowledge systems to guide protection and restoration of the Great Lakes and connected ecosystems and lifeways.

not initially considered. As Indigenous and Western groups move to work collaboratively to protect the environment, including the Great Lakes, there is a desire and a need to incorporate TEK into current conservation models. While many of the goals of Western science and traditional Indigenous knowledge overlap, there is a very different worldview underlying the two systems. For example, the criteria for safe consumption of fish are considered from the perspective of sport fishermen, with the assumption of occasional consumption. However, Indigenous people may have subsistence and ceremonial criteria that need more study to be considered safe, as consumption can be 25 times the amount currently deemed safe. The rationale for harmonizing Western science and TEK, is that this approach

“

After centuries of suppression of Indigenous philosophies and lifeways, the process of engaging and respecting TEK can inspire and support cultural revitalization and maintenance within Indigenous communities. This further supports internationally recognized rights of Indigenous peoples to revitalize their cultural traditions and customs, to maintain and strengthen their distinctive spiritual relationship with their traditional lands and waters, and to uphold their responsibilities to future generations in this regard.

In the first webinar, Jen Vanator, Policy Analyst/Great Lakes Program Coordinator with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, explained that the objectives of this initiative were to: ≥ Provide an opportunity for Indigenous knowledge to contribute to science in support of the agreement. ≥ Provide guidance on how Indigenous knowledge can collaborate with Western science. ≥ Define metrics of success with respect to increasing awareness and presence of TEK. ≥ Promote an understanding of how TEK fits with Western science. The second webinar featured Dr. Deborah McGregor, an associate professor at York

- Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement guidance on TEK

“

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The entire web series has been published online on the University of Minnesota website here: https://tinyurl.com/4d3zzhzk

The topics are:

≥ TEK Guidance Initiatives in the US and Canada ≥ Braiding Ways of Knowing: TEK Theory, Methods and Ethics ≥ TEK in Great Lakes Areas of Concern Priority-Setting Processes ≥ TEK Guided Research to Address Community-Based Chemical Concerns ≥ Restoring Culture & Seed Knowledge through Native Plant Restoration ≥ Bridging Knowledge Systems for Monitoring & Climate Adaptation

University’s Osgoode Hall and the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice. Dr. McGregor, who is Anishinaabe from Whitefish River First Nation in Birch Island, Ontario, spoke about how to ethically engage traditional knowledge holders to truly share both knowledge and decision making. We also heard from Dr. Kelsey Leonard, a water scientist and protector, who spoke about ongoing efforts in the US to establish a more mainstream understanding of Earth Law. Earth Law can be seen as a shift away from law focused on property rights, towards thinking in terms of responsibilities to other beings. People are encouraged to “ask the right questions: water is not a what, water is a who.” For a full list of topics covered in the six-webinar series, as well as additional links related to this topic, please see the sidebar.

You can find a copy of the GLQWA TEK guidance document here: https://tinyurl.com/exu7ymb9

Access Dr. Kelsey Leonard’s TED Talk, “Why lakes and rivers should have the same rights as humans” here: https://tinyurl.com/4jvb7nxh

This diagram represents one of several ways that comparisons between TEK and Western science can be visualized. From the GLQWA TEK guidance document; diagram by the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

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GBA UPDATE Fall 2021

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COVID-19

Return to the Bay: US Residents Get Back to their Happy Place

By Liz Phillips, UPDATE Editor

W hen American GBA members shut up their cottages in the fall of 2019, none of them could have predicted that they wouldn’t be reopening their doors for almost two years. But as COVID-19 spread across the globe, many members would miss their first summer in the Bay in decades – or even for the first time in their entire lives. “When the June 2021 border closure was announced, we began to reckon with what it might be like to have to stay away for another whole summer,” says Patty Hoolihan, a Honey Harbour member. “Away from our very special Canadian retreat that we have been coming to every summer for decades and for Chris [Fisher, her husband], since childhood.”

David’s dog, Binx, keeps a lookout in the Whitefish River

Photo: David Farner

Celesta Bjornson has been coming up to the Bay of Islands since she was a child as well. Since 2006, her family would leave their Seattle home in the middle of June and stay at their cottage on Ruby Island until Labour Day weekend. “Our heart and soul are in the Bay of Islands,” says Celesta. “When we were unable to travel to Ruby Island in the summer of 2020, it was crushing. Ruby Island is not just a place we vacation, it is the place we think about all year long, counting the days for when we can return.” After so long away from their Bay homes, US residents just couldn’t wait to return once things reopened. David Farner, a Pittsburgh resident, had booked a family trip within the US for the week of August 9. Two days later, when the announcement was made that the Canadian border would open on August 9, he cancelled everything without a second thought. “We were going to go surfing in the Pacific, but it wasn’t even a question whether to go to southern California versus the island,” he says. Celesta and her husband, John, were in line at the Peace Bridge crossing at 11:45 p.m. on August 8 and were the first

Americans to arrive back in the Bay of Islands. David, her brother-in-law, was only a few hours behind, and Patty and Chris sailed through the border on August 10. “After the customs agent checked us out, I told him we were happy to be back,” says Patty. “When he said, ‘We are happy to have you back,’ we teared up. Especially as we drove away, entering Canada after almost two years. Pinching ourselves.” That’s when the hard work started. We all know how quickly the elements and Mother Nature can wreak havoc on our cottages in just one winter, and our US residents had two winters and last year’s high-water levels to deal with. For Celesta and John, their waterfront deck had ripped off in a storm and their back docks were severely damaged with the high water. David had to pull out the chainsaw almost immediately after arriving at his island, because beavers had felled a couple of dozen trees which were blocking access to the cottage. “But rather than opening camp this year with more stress than ever after nearly two years,” says John,” we approached every chore and repair with joy – joy that we were here. And even a bad day here is better than any other day back home.”

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Everyone is focusing on the positives of being back, and picking up where they left off. Even David’s dog, Binx, was back to jumping off the dock, barking at squirrels, and navigating the boat without so much as skipping a beat. Celesta’s 91-year-old mother, Barb van Sickel, went swimming nearly every day, settling into her usual summer routine, despite the fact that it was her first summer in the Bay since Celesta’s father passed away this winter. What US residents missed most about the Bay were their friends and family, but the landscape, fishing, sunsets, and sunrises are a big part of their experience too. “There is no place that touches our souls quite like the rugged beauty of the Bay. We feel ourselves shedding months of bad news as we swim or turn our faces to the sky, water, and wind,” says Patty. “Our gratitude for this place and for our return is as solid as the granite beneath us.”

Photo: John Bjornson

Celesta and John Bjornson’s front dock was ripped off in a storm while they were gone.

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GEORGIAN BAY ASSOCIATION

Keeping Members Engaged During COVID

By Liz Phillips, UPDATE Editor

H ow do you keep a community engaged and connected when you can’t meet up in person in your usual ways? If you’re anything like our GBA member associations, you get creative. We wanted to share some of the things our associations have been getting up to online or outside while staying safe. AGMs Go Virtual The most common change we’ve had to make has been moving our annual general meetings (AGM) online. GBA has been providing a free Zoom service to member associations to ensure that this important process has continued smoothly. Associations report that in many cases the virtual AGMs are even better attended than in-person meetings – but everyone agrees that the important social element of the traditional AGM is missing. Keeping in Touch Long before COVID-19 made virtual communication a necessity, many of us had already started using online communication tools to keep our membership informed of association news and events. But these have become more crucial to maintaining a dialogue, and members are looking out for their regular updates more often. In particular, use of social media has increased to stay in touch about issues affecting local communities.

Fun and Games This is where we saw the resourcefulness of our member associations really coming through. Here are just a few of the initiatives we heard about: ≥West Carling Association (WCA) held a virtual stone painting contest for kids, and a virtual scavenger hunt. ≥ Another WCA member flew a different flag every day for 10 days, posting a photo online and having people identify it. ≥ The South Channel Association (SCA) switched up their Art on the Dock art show by putting the whole thing online. ≥ SCA also hosted Quench the Flames, a socially distanced poker run to raise awareness about cottage fire protection. Members visited five different checkpoints by boat, where volunteers drew a card on their behalf and recorded the result. ≥ Bay of Islands Community Association held a hike in Heaven’s Gate, a large area in the La Cloche Mountains that was recently acquired by the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy. Many of the members who made the hike contributed to helping protect this area for generations to come. We enjoyed hearing about how you’ve come together despite the pandemic and we hope to hear more about your escapades in the future.

Photo: Allison Needham

Photo: Allison Needham

A float plane lands in front of the Tucker cottage in Snug Harbour, where a flag is flying for the WCA’S contest. For the answer to which flag it is, please turn to page 14.

Two rocks painted by winner of the under-12 category Sophie Needham are displayed for the WCA stone-painting contest.

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT Working for You

By Rolfe Jones, GBA President

W here does the time go? It seems like just yesterday that I was writing my first president’s message back in the spring and now the leaves are changing colour! As the old adage goes, “Time flies when you’re having fun!” And while it might not have been quite the same summer as summers past, it was indeed a good summer as we spent four months at our island cottage in Cognashene. What’s more, we had the great pleasure of reuniting with our friends “from away.” Which makes for a natural segue to how the summer unfolded. May and June were busy on the advocacy side. Rupert and I worked alongside Mark Gwozdecky, David Sharpe, and Erica Allen from Pointe au Baril Islanders’ Association to put together a lobbying effort to help our out-of-province GBA members gain access to their cottages. This entailed working with the Federation of Ontario Cottagers Association (FOCA) to combine the heft of their 250,000 members with our 3,000 member families and write letters of appeal to our federal and provincial governments to allow non-Ontarian cottagers to access their summer homes. While we can’t take all the credit for helping our American, international, and other out-of- province members gain access to their beloved cottages, we think that our various messages were heard. Another initiative that GBA got behind this summer was the Safe Quiet Lakes (SQL) Your Lakes, Your Views survey, which asked our members what they value from their cottage experience, how they use the water, and what their boating activity concerns are. This information will help us better understand the priorities of our members as well as provide information for GBA advocacy and action. Many of our coastal communities have had longstanding concerns about excessive boat noise. Unfortunately, existing Canadian legislation is not sufficient to allow police to enforce limits on boat motor noise. GBA is a founding member of SQL’s Decibel Coalition, which aims to change this reality by adopting decibel limits that are already standard in many areas of the US and Europe. GBA hopes that all our coastal municipalities will get behind this important initiative. Many already have, and GBA is asking our member associations to sign on too. Read more about the Decibel Coalition and their efforts to curb excessive boat noise, and find out how you can get involved on the front page of this issue of UPDATE . As most of you already know, we put on a very successful water symposium last fall with Georgian Bay Forever (GBF). That event brought together more than

400 attendees and some of the leading scientific minds on both sides of the border to address how we might better manage extreme high water levels across the Great Lakes. The extensive information that came out of that symposium will serve us well for decades to come. Visit https://tinyurl.com/3sbtp34y for more. Many people at the symposium asked questions around protecting their properties during high water events. We are pleased to announce that we have partnered with GBF and others to create a three-part online water levels series called Extreme Water Levels: Impacts and Strategies planned for the fall to help people manage during future extreme high and low water level events. The first webinar is on Saturday, October 23, followed by a second event on November 13, and a third on December 4. Each webinar runs from 10 am until noon. To register visit https://georgianbay.ca/h20-2021/ One of the great things about working on the GBA Board is that you get to work with some truly great people. That’s the case with Eric Armour. Eric, who is also the president of the Sans Souci and Copperhead Association, has been on the GBA Board since May 2012 and has contributed significantly to our Board and Georgian Bay. Eric is stepping away from GBA to focus all of his attention on Sans Souci matters. Replacing Eric will be Al Stratton. I’d like to wish Eric all the best and welcome Al to our Board. On top of all the advocacy benefits your membership provides you with, GBA has a membership benefits program that you should take advantage of. We have attracted various companies who you’d normally buy goods and services from and negotiated special discounts on your behalf. One such program is through Rice Insurance, which helps our members realize savings not only on their cottage and boat insurance, but on their homes and cars as well. Other member programs include discounts on Mustang life jackets, Coleman products, Action First Aid defibrillators, and a device from FoodCycler that turns your food scraps into soil – overnight! We’re working on other programs, so please visit our website ( https://tinyurl.com/rekkhxnr ) to stay on top of new member programs as they become available. Last but not least, a huge shout-out to our Board, Rupert, and Shannon. Thank you for all that you do. Without you we would not be able to accomplish the many things we do. Wishing everyone in our Georgian Bay community a happy, healthy, and safe fall!

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ED ADVOCACY REPORT

I t’s been a busy summer at GBA since the last issue of UPDATE . Rolfe’s report highlights GBA advocacy work on: ≥ Reopening the border for our American and international friends and neighbours

By Rupert Kindersley, Executive Director

≥ The upcoming H2O 2021 three-part webinar series beginning October 23

≥ The highly successful Safe Quiet Lakes (SQL) survey, and ongoing work with SQL on the Decibel Project

≥ The expansion of our member services

Here are some other matters we’re addressing:

Coastal Protection Coastal protection continues to be one of our top priorities. Development pressure is relentless, and this summer has seen a significant increase in building permit applications throughout the coastal municipalities. Many applications seem to be linked to COVID isolationism, with more Georgian Bay residents spending an increasing amount of time at their cottages and working from there. Property improvements often increase environmental protections, but we must remain vigilant to ensure the integrity of our planning regulations is not compromised, as many applications seek to expand building coverage beyond what is permitted. Developments such as Oak Bay, Macey Bay and

approved by MECP does not have sufficient capacity to handle the projected sewage load. Vigilant onsite supervision will be needed to prevent serious water quality and habitat degradation. We also need to ensure that their waterfront plan does not damage the sensitive fish habitat in that bay. GBA Planning Intern Approved We are very grateful that the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) approved funding for GBA to hire an intern to work on our coastal protection projects. With an extra set of hands, we are better positioned to move forward with your local municipalities on the following: ≥ A review of official plans and planning bylaws to establish best practices recommendations

≥ Education and guidance materials for members on

Photo: Rolfe Jones

planning and development issues

Brandy’s Cove in the Township of Georgian Bay continue to cause concern. Large multi-residential developments such as Oak Bay have the potential to significantly compromise water quality and habitat. The decisions made by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) and the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) to allow Brandy’s Cove to process their marine septage onsite, despite being provided with clear evidence of the water quality hazards that are likely to result, set a very worrying precedent. Macey Bay has most of the necessary approvals to move ahead with plans to create a 180-site mobile home park on waterfront property surrounded by rare wetland and prime fish habitat. Our main concern is that the sewage system

≥ Septic inspection and maintenance guidance, along with education materials for members ≥ Input on municipal inspection programs to establish best practices recommendations ≥ Other projects, such as research on floating cottage issues and waste collection facilities Floating cottages and mooring buoys have become hot button issues over the summer and GBA is exploring ways to address these issues by working with local municipalities. Municipalities are hampered by jurisdictional constraints and

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the Ontario and federal governments’ poor understanding of the challenges that face water-access communities.

Progress on Water Quality We have good progress to report on other threats to water quality. MPP Norm Miller’s dock foam bill is now enacted – it is likely to take about two years to iron out the regulations. GBA will continue to work with Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) and others to ensure we get regulations that will be effective in preventing new docks and dock repairs being made using unencapsulated foam and ultimately remove this pollutant from our waters. Bill 279, which requires new clothes washing machines to have filters installed, passed first reading in the legislature. It will further reduce plastics pollution once in place. GBA will support final approval of this bill and will keep you informed on how you can help. Since our October 2020 water levels symposium, GBA and GBF made presentations to all your coastal municipal councils to ensure a solid understanding of the drivers of water levels and what to expect in the future. The upcoming fall H2O 2021 webinar series on the impacts of, and the strategies to address, extreme water levels will continue these discussions. At the time of writing, we are in the midst of a federal election. So far, environmental issues are playing second fiddle to other more urgent debates around COVID vaccination policies and how to get Canada back on its feet. It is important that we all try to ensure that politicians do not ignore environmental issues. To that end, GBA published our usual election readiness memo which aims to attract attention to issues that are important to all of us. Indigenous Concerns Despite a very difficult year for Canada on Indigenous concerns, political parties are not prioritizing them. Earlier this year I had a heartwarming discussion with a Shawanaga elder who offered a constructive approach to how we should be dealing with the distressing news of the children’s graves discovered at residential schools. The message is that rather than getting overwhelmed by sadness and recriminations, we should instead use this as an opportunity to come together to address challenges through greater understanding, empathy, and mutual respect. We must all move on from the past “them and us” thinking – there is only “us” – and we need to work together to solve issues such as climate change. Although this sounds like a simple response, it is equally difficult for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to fully embrace.

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Upcoming Events Our sister Georgian Bay organizations wish to inform you of these upcoming events Georgian Bay Biosphere Why are Solstices Celebrated?

Georgian Bay Land Trust Bayscapes Online Auction: Friday, October 22, 12 noon to Saturday, October 30, 8 p.m. Virtual Celebration: Saturday, October 30, 6-6:45 p.m. Support the Georgian Bay Land Trust’s work to protect Georgian Bay’s wilderness places through Bayscapes. Bid online on a fantastic array of Georgian Bay-themed art, photographs, items, and experiences, with all proceeds supporting nature conservation. Tune in October 30 for a virtual celebration featuring musical entertainment from the shores of Georgian Bay and updates from the Land Trust. Visit gblt.org/bayscapes for more information and to participate.

Your Voice on the Bay

GBA UPDATE is published by the Georgian Bay Association

GBA Mission Statement: To work with our water-based communities and other stakeholders to ensure the careful

Free webinar October 5, 10-11:30 a.m. Climate Action: Electric Vehicles 101. Free webinar October 19, 10-11:30 a.m. The 13 Moons. Free webinar December 7, 10-11:30 a.m. For updates and to register: gbbr.ca/events For recordings and resources check GBBR’s YouTube videos at youtube.com/c/ GeorgianBayBiosphere Georgian Bay Forever Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) is looking for volunteers to help make the Diversion 2.0 Project (plastic litter mitigation) a success!

stewardship of the greater Georgian Bay environment.

Patrons of GBA: The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D. John Ralston Saul, C.C. The Georgian Bay Association is an advocacy umbrella group representing 18 community associations and their members – approximately 3,000 families comprising over 18,000 residents. President: Rolfe Jones email: rolfescottjones@georgianbay.ca Executive Director: Rupert Kindersley email: rkindersley@georgianbay.ca Editor: Liz Phillips email: lizannephillips@gmail.com Advertising & Deputy Editor: Allison Needham email: allison.needham@rogers.com Webmaster: Eric Armour email: e.s.armour@gmail.com

Join Plastic-Free Georgian Bay to start conversations with local businesses and schools about decreasing single or lightly used plastic consumption.

You can learn more about the move towards zero plastic waste and schedule a presentation with GBF staff by visiting gbf.org/divertplastics

GBA website: www.georgianbay.ca Facebook: www.facebook.com/GBayAssociation

What flag is flying in West Carling? It is the flag of India.

2021 Publication Schedule Issue

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GBA UPDATE is printed by Warren’s Waterless Printing, Canada’s leading environmental printer, using high-quality waterless print technology on Enviro 100% recycled paper. The waterless printing process eliminates the use of fresh water and greatly reduces the use of harmful chemical compounds. Distributed under Canada Publication Mail Sales Agreement # 40038178 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: GBA c/o SHANNON FARQUHARSON, Communications & Executive Services Coordinator 138Hopedale Avenue, Toronto ON M4K 3M7 (416) 937-4990 • sfarquharson@georgianbay.ca that the source is acknowledged. Letters to the editor are welcome. Please send address corrections and changes to the address below. GBA UPDATE is mailed to all members of all GBA member associations, friends, other stakeholders and interest groups. Bulk copies can be made available to full member associations to include with their mailings. Material may be reprinted in GBA member association newsletters provided

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GBA UPDATE Fall 2021

14

The all-new, Scout 277 Dorado raises the bar for big-water, family-friendly cruising

Scout 277 Dorado

The custom-built fibreglass hard top adds to the stunning look and the functionality of this exciting new model, while the convertible seating arrangements in the cockpit create numerous entertaining or lounging options. Get ready to take on the rough chop and big swells alike, with her wide beam and deep V hull offering a soft and dry ride. The Scout 277 Dorado is perfect for any day on the Bay!

Five Star

D E A L E R

Call or email to learn more about this amazing craft P 705-366-2296 E sales@paynemarine.com

www.georgianbay.ca

GBA UPDATE Fall 2021

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THE ROSSITER FLEET • STLYE MEETS FUNCTION

QUALITY • PERFORMANCE • HERITAGE

desmasdons.com • 705.366.2581 • matt@desmasdons.com