Join us for FOCA's 60th anniversary Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Spring Seminar for Member Associations, as we "come out of our shells" this year and return to more in-person events.

About the AGM: The AGM will be held at 10:00am. Each current Member Association is encouraged to send a representative to vote in the AGM, either in-person or by webinar participation. Official notice of the Annual General Meeting was sent by email to all titled Member Association representatives with a current email address on file as of February 2nd, 2023.

FOCA welcomes Incinerating Toilets as our newest Gold Sponsor. Come and speak with them at the sponsor displays at the upcoming FOCA Spring Seminar on March 4th (see event details at the top of this Elert).

Incinerating Toilets Inc. provides a world class, waterless, environmentally friendly, propane and electric toilet solution by Cinderella Eco. The Cinderella incineration toilet is an easy to use, easy to install, plumbing-free solution. It can be used year round with little maintenance.

Whether you are living on or off the grid, this is the best alternative to a septic or composting toilet solution.

Only ash remains; roughly one cup of ash for one week of use by a family of four. Learn more here.

As an update on our January Elert notice about the Underused Housing Tax (UHT): the UHT tax form has finally been posted by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA). If you owned residential property in Canada on December 31, 2022, and are neither a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident, you will need to determine if you are exempt or affected by this tax. According to CRA's website: "Even if your ownership of the property qualifies for an exemption and you do not owe any tax, you still must file a return" by April 30th each year, which may involve applying for a CRA individual tax number. Get information and a link to the tax form on FOCA's webpage: https://foca.on.ca/focas-property-tax-position-overview/

This update was circulated this week by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority:

At the most recent Ontario Recreational Boating Advisory Committee meeting, FOCA heard from Transport Canada that by April 2023 they will begin seeking public opinion on the proposal for mandatory wearing of PFDs (personal flotation devices) on recreational boats. The public review will take place through the Let's Talk Transportation website. Look for more details in coming editions of the FOCA Elert!

If you boat through the locks of the Trent Severn Waterways, you'll want to access reduced pricing on your 2023 seasonal lockage permit - purchase by March 31st.

The City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) announced it has completed its Short-Term Rental (STR) survey with over 1000 submissions, one of their top engagement results! Results are posted on the CKL website, and a Public Information Session has been scheduled for Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Get links to this, and related STR news, from FOCA's webpage: https://foca.on.ca/rental/

On view through April 23, 2023, visit the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) to see the exhibit "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" with breathtaking new photographs of the natural world.

Save 15% off ROM admission until April 30th, with the special promo code: FOCA

Also, share your own images in the ROM Wildlife Photo Contest that closes March 12, 2023. You could win a camera kit courtesy of Henry's, and more.

On January 7th, 1963, 125 people representing 40 cottage associations met and decided the time was right to form a provincial association. By the spring of 1963, the organization was called "The Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations"! Among the earliest issues discussed were: water quality and water safety, taxation, municipal election voter rights, land use planning and (the lack of) by-law enforcement.

There are many ways you can help FOCA celebrate our 60th anniversary: