SCOI President’s Update
Firstly, let me thank you for respecting the Band’s wishes by not going to your cottages. Your co-operation supports the health of the Reserve, the surrounding community and of all of Grey Bruce. It also respects the government’s and public health authorities’ best advice. There is now community transmission of COVID-19 in Grey Bruce, just as there is in your own community.
We have received many comments and questions from cottagers about a number of issues.
However, four of them stand out.
1. Cottage Access
First, all of us want to go to our cottage and many of the messages we have received deal with this issue.
The State of Emergency declared by the Chief and Band Council is still in effect.
It is open ended and is very clear. The province’s State of Emergency declaration now appears to extend well into May, suggesting little if any travel on the long weekend (May 16-18). We are not even permitted a quick trip to pick something up that was left at the cottage last fall. Please don’t ask. The answer is, universally, no. Not until the Band lifts the State of Emergency.
Roads Closed
We reiterate that Band security has closed the roads and is checking vehicles and cottages. From our discussions with the OPP, we know that they are backing up Cancom as requested. Cancom security staff are Federal By-law Officers who can lay charges if the situation warrants it.
2. Service Fees
The second issue is payment of Service Fees. SCOI asked the Band Council to consider deferral or installments to give cottage owners time to budget for the sizeable increase in this year’s fee.
Council agreed to a 60 day deferral. Service Fees are now due on May 30, 2020.
3. Lease Fees
The third issue is payment of Lease Fees. 2020/2021 is the 10th and final year of the current lease period and the 5th year of the 5-year fee period.
Fee amounts this year are the same as they have been for the past 4 years.
Band Council has confirmed that lease fees are due on May 1, 2020.
4. Septic Systems
The fourth significant issue has been concern over the Band’s expectation that septic systems meet code by the end of this lease period (April 30, 2021). Contractors are currently not allowed to work on Band land until the State of Emergency has been lifted.
However, the Band has indicated that as long as cottagers have, at the very least, a septic permit pending, this will not be an impediment to the renewal of their lease on May 1, 2021.
Refer to our post on septic systems for more information.
There is considerable information on each of these issues posted on this website. Many questions and comments have been responded to as well.
However, we feel that we have told everyone all that we know at this time.
Recent Questions
The questions we have been getting more recently have already been answered.
Again, we have no new information to share.
Please use the search function to find the most recent information on the subject you are looking for.
Spring Patrol
Questions about Spring Patrol should be addressed to local association secretary-treasurers. They have or will be contacting existing Winter Patrol clients.
For those not previously on Winter Patrol, phone numbers of those service providers are provided on the Spring Patrol post.
SCOI Board Meeting
Finally, the SCOI Board will be meeting in May and the issues raised above and other issues will be on the agenda.
We hope to speak with the Chief prior to that meeting so we have a better understanding of where matters are on many of these issues. We will also likely be in a different place with regard to COVID-19 by late May. By then we expect that SCOI and the Band will have a much better understanding of the situation as we head into the summer season.
Questions and Comments
We have made a decision to suspend posting of questions and comments for the present.
We encourage individuals to search the website for answers to their questions. If you can’t find the answer, please ask and we will do our best to answer or point you to where the information you wish may be found.
For those who wish to comment, please also do so. Again, we will not be posting comments, but will be listening.
Where comments bring new light to an issue or add information to what we already have, we will make sure they are considered.
However, please also understand if there is new information, we will be posting it as soon as possible.
Please do not repost rumours or speculation. We try to deal in verifiable facts from reliable media or original sources. We believe that is as transparent and open as we can be.
David Shearman
President, Saugeen Cottagers Organization, Inc.
Some insurance companies are making accommodations for their clients on their car insurance during covid 19. Each company is making their own policies. We managed to save over $500.00 over the next 6 months by taking one car off the road and reducing the expected mileage on the other car by half because we are only going to pick up groceries and not allowed to go to the cottage. We are also allowed to change back to our old policy specs without a waiting period if and when conditions of the lock out change. We thought some other cottagers might appreciate knowing this.
I think this is terrible. We have many cottagers allowed at their cottages in sauble, southhampton, port elgin, red bay, muskoka, etc etc and only a requested by Dough Ford to avoid the back and forth to the cottages but they are allowed to go up. They don’t have the band dictating we can’t go to our cottage we own and still demanding our lease payment on May 1st. They should not be allowed to tell us we cannot go to our cottage we own and decide to stay indoors or your backyard at the cottage versus home. With several cottages now open in sauble and south Hampton, makes no sense. Like I said concerning that they still demanded the lease money on May 1st.
Please see our reply to Lorna on this post.
If you read this article….., it is not a mandatory order that cottagers are not allowed at their cottages. Seems only the band is making up this restriction and at the same time no problem asking for full lease payment. It took longer than it should have to confirm that, but the office of Ontario’s solicitor general, the Ontario Provincial Police and municipal politicians in cottage country did eventually confirm that there is no restriction on travel to secondary residences (though some travel restrictions in First Nations reserves are blocking access to certain properties). City dwellers are being asked to exercise good discretion should they travel, and to bring their supplies with them, so as not to buy out all the stock at grocery stores at the long end of logistics lines that have been disrupted all over the province. Yes, the provincial government, and many rural residents, would prefer that the city folk simply stay at home. But it’s not mandatory.
Jessica, Saugeen First Nation is a Federal jurisdiction and the Band has the right to enforce a stay at home order by charging cottagers who choose to visit their cottages with trespassing, fine them $500 and evict them. And if cottagers chose to continue to ignore the rules, they also have the right to refuse to renew your lease next year.
The bottom line is it doesn’t matter what is happening in other municipalities, our cottages are on Saugeen First Nation land.
We understand that you don’t agree and think this is unfair…but it is what it is and the Band does not want cottagers to visit. They are doing this based on the advice of the Medical Officer of Health, as well as the Federal and Provincial governments. The Band is using the tools available to it at this time to protect its members.
We ask that you respect the Band’s wishes, look out for their wellbeing as well as your own and stay home.
Be kind, be patient and be safe.