Over the past few weeks SCOI has received questions from cottage owners asking for clarification on whether they will be able to stay at their cottages until the end of November in lieu of not being allowed to come to our cottages in May. This was something Chief Anoquot raised in one of his early Facebook messages and with SCOI in the early days of COVID-19.
We have also received questions from cottage owners who do not have another Canadian residence, asking if the Band would allow them to overwinter at their cottage if it is winterized.
We asked these questions of the Chief and Band Council. Given all of the other community issues the Band Council has been dealing with, it has taken some time to receive a response. However, we did hear back from the Band on Friday, October 23rd.
The Band Council has decided that there can not and will not be a November extension. Our leases are with INAC (Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada) and, at present, it is not within the purview of the Band to make changes to the lease.
The existing lease does allow for individual cottagers to stay through November and December, if they pay a monthly fee equivalent to one sixth of their annual lease amount.
This can be arranged through the Lands Management Office (519) 797-3039. In addition, the lease does allow all cottagers to be at their cottage for up to 10 days per month from November to April.
The Band Council has decided that there can not and will not be a November extension
“homeless Canadians”, those who have no other Canadian address, would not be given permission to overwinter at their cottages.
The Band Council also made a decision that “homeless Canadians”, those who have no other Canadian address, would not be given permission to overwinter at their cottages. Although no direct reason was given for this decision, we believe the Band is being cautious, given the increase in Covid cases in the Province and the reintroduction of Provincial restrictions in some areas. As in the Spring, they are erring on the side of caution in order to protect their own members. Many of you may have noticed that the large Covid 19 signs that were taken down from the entrances to the Reserve in August have now been put back up. It is also worth noting that there have been no COVID-19 cases reported by the Band.
We have also learned that about a dozen cottagers, who declared themselves to be “homeless Canadians” in the spring and took up residence in their cottages, were subsequently found by the Band to have a Canadian residence. This means those cottagers lied to the Band. The Band, however, did not discover this until well after all cottagers had been allowed to return to their cottages. It is unfortunate that some people took advantage of the very generous and immediate decision by the Chief to allow those who did not have a Canadian residence to come to their cottage in spite of the fear and uncertainty that prevailed at the time.
The SCOI Board met last weekend and was presented with this information. The Board members condemn this behaviour. The actions of a few are disrespectful to the Chief and Band Council as, in an expression of trust, hospitality and goodwill, they extended a generous offer in a time of emergency.
The SCOI Board wishes to make clear that the actions of a few cottagers are entirely inconsistent with the strong and respectful relationship SCOI has worked hard to develop with the Band leadership over the past few years.
The actions of a few are disrespectful to the Chief and Band Council…
These are entirely inconsistent with the strong and respectful relationship SCOI has worked hard to develop with the Band leadership over the past few years.
The Board has no interest in saying more on this matter other than to inform cottagers that our relationship with the band is based on mutual trust and a respectful relationship. We do not know if the Band will take any further action. We should all remember that as trust is central to our relationship with the Band and actions which do not build trust can have consequences for everyone.
Our Chief is a fair and respectful man and has worked hard to keep us safe this summer!
Those who have lied have put those of us who follow the rules now in a poor light sadly!
I hope he remains optimistic next summer as most of us have shown respect for this wonderful beach!
Thank you for the update. Unfortunately the Band has been betrayed by a few members.
Will the 10 day per month access be monitored? Are the roads cleared of snow so that access and travel is safe?
We do not know how the Band keeps track but there are lots of Band members living in the cottage area and Cancom will continue to patrol. So if someone is at their cottage what seems to be full time, they will be noticed.
School buses and garbage pickup for Band members etc.. continues through the off-season. The main roads are plowed (ie. 2nd Ave.) regularly but side roads less frequently or not at all. Cottagers are required to clean their own drive. Do not park on a plowed road.
The band trusted the group and some lied. We take the punishment for the few. I agree with the band. We messed up. Too bad.
Maybe those cottagers who lied to the band should have their leases not renewed next spring.The punishment suits the wrong they committed.
I wonder if some of the cottagers who inappropriately stayed at their cottages were not members of the SCOI. If there are people who don’t get these updates maybe they truly are unaware of the bottom line and the impact their behaviour is making on the rest of us.
I find it a bit disingenuous for the Band to say they have no ability to make changes to the lease and extend occupancy for the other of November. If they do not have any control of the lease, how were they legally allowed to forbid cottagers from accessing their cottages in May? At that time, and currently the Band is NOT our landlord … our lease is with the Crown. I find it strange that the Ministry has been absent from the beginning of this problem.
I believe you are speaking of “apples and oranges”. The Chief and Band Council have authority to close the Reserve for legitimate reasons, just as any municipality does under emergency powers. That was the case in the Spring. OTOH, our lease is with the Crown (INAC) and the Band has little or no influence on INAC. INAC has much more important matters to deal with in other parts of Ontario and Canada.
For those of us who have a lease with a locatee and not with indigenous and Northern Affairs, do we fall under the same rules ?
There are two revenue accounts. One for locatees and one for the Band, but everyone has the same lease and it is with INAC.
What about getting a few extra weeks of garbage pick up for those who may still spend weekends here in November? We did not get the full year of service since we could not come up until late.
This has been discussed previously. The Band deferred the deadline for service fee payments but was not prepared to reduce the fee. Similarly, there will be no extension for garbage collection. Those staying through November and December are responsible for disposing of their garbage by taking it to the Landfill. The week of October 30 is the last week for cottage garbage collection.
If this is the case then the Chief should refuse to renew the leases of those 12 cottagers.
That’s it? I didn’t break the rules! Sorry don’t appreciate being treated like children. Treat the rules breakers. Reward the rest of us who faithfully followed the band wishes. This isn’t kindergarten. No goodwill here I guess.
The rule breakers were not snowbirds, so it is unreasonable and unfair to deny snowbirds the ability to stay at their PRIMARY residence over the winter. The Band can and should punish the 1% of cottagers who violated the SOE how they see fit ie. fines, non renewal of leases. However, no one else should be punished for the behaviour of a very small minority and I hope that any covid rules/guidelines do not reflect an attitude as such next Spring (take home whatever you need from your cottages/sheds this year folks, just in case!). On positive note, in a recent interview Dr. Arra , Grey Bruce CMO, he stated that the low covid stats in a high tourist area were as a result of responsible residents, business owners AND cottagers. This just confirms that we have, and can be responsible to occupy our cottages and protect the community at the same time! Lets not be denied our normal lease time next year.
We sold our home in February 2019 and rented while trying to decide our next move. We purchased our SFN cottage in April 2019 and spent most of the summer months there. Not knowing what lay ahead for the world in 2020 we gave our notice to vacate our rental for the end of April, put our belongings into storage and move to the cottage. When the Pandemic hit, and nowhere to go, we reached out to Kirk and having provided copies of our sale documents he and the Chief graciously allowed us to take residence effective May 1. We did end up purchasing a home and took possession in early August. My point here is that We in no way EXPECTED this concession nor did we feel that they OWED us anything. We are so grateful feel privileged to be able to lease land on SFN and do hope that others share this sentiment. Where else could we enjoy such a magical place for so little $. To those that lied, shame on you. To those that feel we are OWED something, please take a step back and remember how lucky we all are that the Band shares their home with us
I’m beginning to notice a trend on the SCOI website. Whenever I or anyone else post a comment that does not agree with the Board’s position, it is eithet taken down or not posted. Be aware that the comments you read here do NOT fairly represent the views of all members!!
In the Spring the Band declared a State of Emergency and closed the Reserve. They did not forbid us from occupying our cottages. They closed the Reserve and forbade everyone from entering onto the Reserve, including cottagers, visitors and local contractors.
Those actions had nothing to do with the lease.
Currently there is no state of emergency in effect and our presence here is back to being dictated by the terms of the lease.
As for INAC, our experience is that they are not responsive to enquiries or concerns expressed by cottage owners. We signed the lease and are expected to adhere to the terms of the lease.
In 2011, at the time of the last lease renewal, SCOI wrote to INAC’s predecessor asking for consideration of a small change to the lease. We did not get an acknowledgement of our letter until many months later and that only after we threatened to go to the Minister directly. In the end we got an acknowledgement that they had received our letter and no mention of the request we had made. Of course the leases had already been approved and sent out for signing by that time.
This lack of respect and responsiveness, which the Band also experiences, is in part why SCOI has been supportive of the Band transitioning to the First Nations Land Management Act. Once the transition has been completed, our leases will be with the Band. The Band has been very receptive to our concerns and questions. You may recall that in 2018 the Band asked all cottage owners for input when they undertook a review to develop a new operational plan for Sauble Park. Over 350 cottage owners responded. And of course the Band responded positively this past spring to our request that cottage owners with no other Canadian residence be allowed to occupy their cottages.
We find nothing disingenuous about the Band’s decisions. They, like we, have to follow the terms of the lease.
Cecil,
Your second comment, in which you chose to take a cheap shot at SCOI, was sent by you less that 45 minutes after your first comment. Our response to your first post, as seen above, took about that long to compose. We are volunteers and do not sit by our computers waiting for your comments. It just happened that we were actually on-line when your first comment came in and we began our response right away. Before we could finish, your second comment arrived. Being cranky on-line reflects on you, not us.
Wow! There is a lot of emotion buried in these comments. I really have no concerns and support SCOI as well as the band, especially the many messages we received from the chief this year. I do have one question. In the “Services & Updates” pamphlet we received in the Spring, it is stated that garbage & recycling pickup will be from Mon. May 4th to Monday Oct 30th. Obviously there is a error here . Please confirm if today is our last garbage pickup or will the last one be Monday Nov 2nd…..thanks
Jim,
This week will be the last week for garbage pick up.
Just to clarity a point. Are cottagers are allowed to drop in to our French Bay cottages after November 1 for a property check,or to remove items?
But NOT to stay overnight at all. And our landfill pass is acceptable identification to the security people?
Thanks, Gord
Gord,
Same as any other year. You can come and be at you cottage 10 days each month , including consecutively or every weekend or for 20 days through Christmas and New Years (Dec + Jan) from Nov 1st to April 30th. A landfill pass and ID should do it.
We are wondering if we are allowed for short visits to our cottage over the Christmas holidays and possibly in January or February.
Tony,
Your lease allows you to be at your cottage up to 10 days per month during the off season. So you could stay at your cottage through Christmas and New Years (up to 20 days) because that covers two months (Dec & Jan).
Rob McLaughlin
SCOI Secretary/treasurer