Friends:
We have received this press release from Saugeen First Nation in regard to the provincial emergency brake, effective at 12:01 April 3, 2021. You are asked to remain away from your cottages and Saugeen First Nation for the next four weeks.
Band administration has indicated that those few cottage owners who have already purchased the Month of April and are occupying their cottage full time as a primary residence may remain at their cottage.
We have also asked Band administration about continued access for local contractors and will relay their response to you as soon as we receive it.
David Shearman
President, Saugeen Cottagers’ Association, Inc.

Effective immediately or 12:01 am April 3?
12:01 AM Saturday, April 3
Hi there! Just wondering if you could clarify please….there is no mention of bans or fines as was stated previously under lockdowns. Will cottagers be ticketed?
Thanks so much for your help!
Brenda,
We assume there is no change. Cottagers will be fined $500 for each day they are at the cottage. No warnings or grace period will be given.
So is their modification to the lease? For lost time this year and last year.
Andrew,
The lease you signed clearly states that there will be no rebate or reduction in the lease amount for any reason. See section 30.1. There is a copy of the lease here for reference.
Hello, under that section 30.1 there is nothing regarding that. It states sand and gravel?
May you please clarify. Thanks.
Sorry Andrew. It is 32.1
Thank you! Still un justified to keep us out. Anyways. Have a good Easter!
I think the lease rebate question has been asked and answered many times. It’s unfortunate to pay for something you’re not getting but the Band shouldn’t miss out of their revenue due to a pandemic that is out of everyone’s control either. That said, I would like to suggest that after May 1st (or whenever the province lifts the province wide lockdown), and when lease payments have been made, the Band should concede that everyone should have cottage access. It’s simply not fair, nor does it make logical sense anymore, to assess peoples’ safety based on where they live. We have seen colour zones flip flop within 24 hours so I’m struggling to see the logic/safety of people being deemed “safe” one day, and then “unsafe” the next. While travel between ALL zones is not “recommended” by the province, the fact of the matter is, there is not, and has never been, a stay at home Order since the SOE was lifted in February. I think other metrics should be considered at this point ie. warmer weather (meaning cottage time is primarily outdoors which is safer), cottage access is not congregate settings so people can easily follow PH guidelines, more people are vaccinated etc.
Just an idea..
We are in the category of having the cottage as our primary residence can we still purchase April as an additional month as our temporary accommodations are soon terminated?
The Band directive said the option was only for those who had already purchased April and were living there now. However, you may want to call the the Land Management office on Tuesday and ask.
Ford was clear that this is a Province wide shut down…not a lockdown. There is no stay at home order issued. Has Indian Affairs considered a driveway to driveway policy? Maybe businesses could refuse out of area customers to keep the spread out of this community. There has to be other ways to keep cottagers out of the community without keeping them out of their cottages.
The Province has issued a stay at home advisory. The Band has issued a directive that cottagers are to stay at home. “Indian Affairs” is not a thing. Indigenous Services Canada is not involved. The Saugeen First Nation has no say over how businesses in local communities deal with patrons from out of town. The only way for the Band to keep you “out of the community” is to not allow you go to your cottage for the next month.
Apologies for not knowing the proper group to reference. I think we all hope it’s just for the next four weeks. Many people frustrated by the thought of paying a lease for property that cannot be accessed.
Since most cottages are owned by individuals over 60 and the vaccine rollout is now covering this group would it not make sense to change the metric for allowing people to go to their cottage. Move from the current colour zone where you live to be below Red to have access to your cottage . Its time to change the outdated colour zone metric as more and more people get vaccinated to allowing anyone that has been vaccinated to access their cottage.
Does this make sense to other people
William Neeve
For the next month, colour zones and vaccine rates are irrelevant. You are not allowed to go to your cottage no matter whether you are vaccinated or where your permanent residence is. Full stop.