Our vision is to sustain and enhance the cottage experience for generations. | | |
Event Summary:
2026 Spring Seminar & AGM
Thank you to the 250+ participants at the FOCA Spring Seminar held on March 7, 2026! It was a foggy day for driving, but things were crystal clear inside with FOCA updates, the Annual General Meeting of members resulting in a new Salt Resolution (more below), and amazing seminars about:
- identifying aquatic plants
- adapting to climate changes in cottage country
- drinking water source protection planning by community groups
- First Nations relationship building
- starting to prepare for the 2026 municipal elections in October (did you know: seasonal property owners can vote in each municipality where they or their spouse own property?)
- highlights from FOCA's road issues survey.
| | Members: log in to the Event webpage for 'more' in the full Event Summary including links to all the slides shown, plus topic summaries you can use in your next newsletter. Make sure your fellow members know about their FOCA benefits and the value of your association's annual membership. | |
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You are Invited!
Please join me at the Spring Cottage Life Show this weekend, from Thursday March 26 to Sunday March 29, 2026 at the International Centre.
I will be speaking on the Main Stage on Sunday at noon on the topic, "Your Lake: Your Community: How Cottagers Make a Difference Together."
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I will be available at our booth (#1136 in Hall 2, right across the aisle from Cottage Life) on Thursday and Sunday, and members of our Board and Staff team will be there all weekend.
Please join us to find out how we can help your members with information and discounts. Click 'more' for show time, Main Stage speakers, and tickets.
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PS > Can't make the show? Use your FOCA member benefit by subscribing to the Cottage Life magazine for just $24.95/year!
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| Liability Questions? We've Got Answers | | | | The Cade Associates crew will be at the FOCA booth at the Spring Cottage Life Show this weekend, ready to answer your insurance and liability questions. Ask us about insurance coverage for your lake association or road group, or about CottageFirst - the exclusive group insurance program for FOCA members. | | Planning to build or renovate your cottage this year? First, click 'more' download our tips sheet for important considerations BEFORE the work gets underway. | |
| FOCA at Queen's Park on behalf of Conservation Authorities | | |
On March 10, 2026, the Province of Ontario announced it will proceed with amendments to the Conservation Authorities Act to plan to consolidate the existing 36 Conservation Authorities (CAs) into 9 regional entities that will be administered by the Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency (OPCA) created last fall.
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On March 25, 2026, FOCA's Board Chair, Donna Commerford (second from right in the image) participated in a media briefing at Queen's Park with Ontario Nature and other partners, to express ongoing opposition to the decision to proceed with the consolidation of the CAs in a way that does not address substantial concerns identified by public feedback during recent consultations on the issue.
Members will recall that FOCA led a member call-to-action to submit comments to the Province in December 2025, and was a signatory to the original joint submission from over 90 concerned organizations opposing this consolidation.
| | Read the new Media Advisory from FOCA and partners, see the map and information released in early March by the Province, and get background on FOCA's work on this issue, by clicking 'more' to reach our Land Use Planning webpabe. | |
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FOCA Calls for Salt Pollution Action
In recognition of the negative impact of salt on Ontario freshwater ecosystems and drinking water, at the 2026 FOCA Spring Seminar members voted to approve a Salt Resolution urging the Province to develop limited liability legislation tied to mandatory training and enforceable best practices for contractors, and provisions regarding limited liability for property owners and contractors.
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FOCA is formally joining the Ontario Salt Pollution Coalition (OSPC) as a member, and OSPC has created a 'Model Resolution' that you can circulate to your municipal partners. So far, OSPC knows 37 municipalities have passed salt resolutions.
Your Role: FOCA encourages every member association to engage your municipalities in salt mitigation efforts. Let FOCA know if yours passes a resolution and should be added to the list!
| | FOCA posts related information on our webpage - click for 'more' including a copy of the new FOCA Salt Resolution and links to OSPC resources. | | | Proposed Changes to Non-Profit Tax Filings | | On behalf of our 550+ member groups across Ontario who are non-profit organizations (NPOs), last month FOCA submitted a response to the Department of Finance Canada opposing changes in draft legislative proposals released in January to amend the Income Tax Act to introduce expanded reporting requirements for NPOs. Read 'more' in the 'Latest News' section of FOCA's taxation webpage. | |
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Alto High Speed Rail Update
Since January 2026, FOCA has been in communication with senior contacts at the Alto Crown Corporation to share our perspectives on the proposed Alto High-Speed Rail project. Now, we are pleased to share that Alto agreed to add an additional virtual consultation session (held March 23) and extended the public consultation period to April 24, 2026. Review FOCA's Special Alto Notice sent to subscribers on March 17, including links to ways you can continue to provide your local feedback.
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Proposed Sudbury Barrie Hydro Transmission Line Project - Open Houses
FOCA has received information from our partners at Hydro One Community Relations about a new proposed high voltage Transmission Line project between Sudbury and Barrie that is expected to be in service by 2032, running through the Parry Sound - Muskoka region.
You are invited to upcoming community Open House sessions to learn more and provide feedback, prior to the start of the Environmental Assessment process.
| | Click 'more' for details, a larger map of the study area, and dates and locations of in-person and virtual Open House opportunities in April. | | |
Updated Standards for 'Projects Near Water'
This month, FOCA received notice from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) about interim updates to Standards that may impact those planning land-based erosion and sediment control, water intake end-of-pipe fish screens, or fish capture and relocation. The standards were developed to guide proponents in the design and implementation of mitigation measures considered critical to the protection of fish and fish habitat. Access the updated information from DFO's 'Projects Near Water - Standards' webpage. Feedback or comments on the Standards is welcomed by email to DFO through April 30, 2026.
| | sponsors support our work - please support them | |
last call to register! - FOCA webinar:
Cottage Succession "A to Z"
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 from 7pm to 8:30pm by Zoom - Join FOCA for the first of our 2026 webinar series with estate lawyer Peter Lillico. This is the introductory session in the series, with an overview of the many important aspects of cottage succession planning.
| | Peter has updated his intro talk to reflect the latest legal, tax, and financial developments. Members: click 'more' to register now - include your FOCA affiliation for free attendance for every member of your family! NOTE: An event recording is not circulated to registrants later; please attend online at the event time to hear the updates. | | | Not yet a member but want to attend this event? Pay the $35 non-member fee per registrant, or become a Friend of FOCA (our paid annual supporter category) to receive free access to our 2026 Cottage Succession Webinar Series, plus additional supporter benefits. | |
'Lunch & Learn' webinar: Emergency Preparedness in Cottage Communities
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm - When Minutes Matter: The Tools and Training That Can Save a Life at the Lake. Join FOCA and our partners at Action First Aid to learn how to save a life at the lake.
| | This is a free webinar, sponsored by Action First Aid. The event will be recorded, and an event recording will be circulated to registrants later, so you can watch at any time. Please share the registration link widely with family, neighbours, and your cottage community on social media. | | |
Click 'more' to register now. Copy and paste the registration link for others:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_G8_EzFCgTlK1HPQzmPtZ5A
| | | Win a SaveStation & Training for your Association | | |
At the cottage, knowing how to respond to a cardiac emergency could save the life of a loved one, friend or neighbour.
You are invited to participate in a members-only contest for a chance to win a community outdoor 24/7 accessible SaveStation® automated external defibrillator (AED) cottage package from Action First Aid, valued over $4,000!
The prize package includes a SaveStation Outdoor Climate Controlled AED Cabinet with AED & Response Kit, outdoor AED signage bundle, and a group CPR/AED awareness workshop in your community.
| | Click to 'enter' and get more details about this draw prize which is open to FOCA members through April 30, 2026. | | |
New Member Resource: Lake Planning Guide | | |
We are very pleased to have released the second edition of the FOCA Guide to Lake Planning for Community Groups. Print copies of the Guide were made available to members attending in person at the recent FOCA Spring Seminar.
Click for 'more' about lake planning including a link to the members-only webpage for a digital copy of the Guide and detailed support materials including example templates, other associations’ lake plans, survey ideas, workshop agendas, sample community presentations, and more.
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Source Water Protection
Building on the Phase 1 Crego Lake Pilot Project, in 2025-2026 Phase 2 of FOCA’s Source Water Protection (SWP) Project explored how best practices can be put into action at the community level, using volunteer capacity alone. Three lake associations were selected through a competitive process, and were supported in their efforts to identify their drinking water sources, assess potential risks using the Clean Water Act framework, and pinpoint areas of highest vulnerability.
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The result is not only stronger local awareness of SWP but also practical, real-world examples that other communities can follow.
The three associations participated in a panel discussion at the FOCA Spring Seminar to review their findings, challenges, and successes in undertaking SWP plans for their communities.
| | Click for 'more' in the 'Latest News' section of FOCA's SWP webpage, including the Phase 2 FOCA Overview that includes links to each of the three pilot group Reports. | | | sponsors support our work - please support them | | |
Partner Petition: Let's Get the Lead Out
In person attendees at the 2026 FOCA Spring Seminar had the opportunity to hand-sign a petition to urge Ontario legislators to ban certain sizes or weights of lead fishing tackle. This initiative, "Let's Get the Lead Out", is led by FOCA member group the Wolfe Lake Association. They created a related video explaining the negative impact of lead on loons, and an information sheet about Loons & Lead Fishing Tackle.
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FOCA encourages every member to click to 'download', print out, and sign the Lead Petition Form, and circulate it at your lake events this season. This petition must be hand-signed; digital will not suffice. Completed forms should be returned by mail to:
Let's Get the Lead Out Representative
c/o 9 Garland Lane
Godfrey, ON K0H 1T0
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New Member Benefits Added
When was the last time you visited the FOCA Member Benefits webpage to check out all the offers, discounts, and exclusive member benefits?
Thank you to our newest Corporate Sponsors for adding additional benefits to the list, and to our long-standing sponsors for continuing to offer these great member perks.
Associations: do your member families know about all the deals and savings they can access because of your annual membership in FOCA? Be sure to leverage this value! Click 'Benefits' below for the latest details.
| | NOTE: You will need your FOCA Member Login to access the discount codes or links to these offers online. Don't have or can't recall your personal login? Contact the office for assistance during business hours: info@foca.on.ca or call 705-749-3622 | | | | | |
Borrow This Idea: Share FOCA News
We love to highlight examples of member groups that share FOCA news widely! Make sure each of your member families see the value in your association's annual membership in FOCA, by sharing our news updates regularly.
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Here's a message we were copied on, from a past edition of FOCA e-news circulated to member families by the Lake St. Peter Property Owners' Association (LSPPOA):
"As I'm preparing this FOCA e-news to be distributed to you, I'm reminded why we are advocates and members of this organization. These messages are reminders that we are part of a larger community, and of FOCA's involvement on an even broader scale to represent our best interests. ... Enjoy the many articles in each FOCA e-news and share with your family members too." ~ LSPPOA
Thank you for being our ambassador, LSPPOA!
| | We encourage all our member associations to prompt fellow members to sign up directly to receive FOCA e-newsletters for timely updates, and help us reach our goal of 25,000 subscribers! Share this subscription link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/8FBtE46 | | | sponsors support our work - please support them | | | |
Succession Strategy Series - Small Group Workshops for FOCA Members | Join us for an exclusive opportunity for FOCA member families: small group cottage succession workshops led by our long-time colleague and estate lawyer Peter Lillico for $160+HST per family. | | |
These virtual sessions are limited to 4-6 families, providing a highly personalized and interactive experience with direct access to Peter's legal expertise. Participating families will:
- submit their top 3 succession questions in advance
- receive tailored advice during a dedicated segment in the session
- be eligible for a complimentary one-on-one follow-up with Peter if their question can't be fully addressed during the workshop.
Here's what two participants had to say, after the first session held earlier this month:
"I liked the variety of questions as families have different challenges. Peter was so helpful in responding to my own questions and really put my mind at ease by having more knowledge and understanding."
"The personalized advice was very useful. I would tell other families that they are probably missing a lot of crucial information related to their specific use case."
| | Interested in being in an upcoming session? Email programs@foca.on.ca for more. This initiative is made possible through Peter's generosity, with proceeds supporting FOCA's programs and advocacy work. | | |
Digital Recordings: Cottage Succession Planning | | Want to start the succession conversation with your family in the off-season? | | |
Purchase digital access to recordings of Peter's talks. Choose the intro session or deeper dives into cottage sharing agreements, capital gains tax, trusts, timing, and the role of the kids. Click 'more' and login for the member discount code for $60 off the regular price!
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| Your association renewal contact has a link (unique to your association) for you to use to set up your own Username and Password as a Sub-Account to see members-only material on the FOCA website - like discount codes. Please ask your contact to reach out to FOCA if they need assistance locating the association's link. | |
Celebrating Volunteers
Thank you to Wendy Gibson and Susan Truscott of the Lake of Bays Association (LOBA) for sending this story celebrating one of LOBA's great volunteers:
"Big shout out to Kieran Molony, volunteer manager of the Water Quality Testing Program for the Lake of Bays Association! A MSc student at Guelph University, Kieran’s summer weekends have been busy prepping sample kits, assigning test sites, collecting the samples and compiling data for analysis by our consultants. It's a huge job coordinating people and materials..."
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"A special thanks also to the Molony family whose dock and boat house fridge has served as the pick up and drop off depot for the sampling team. After five years Kieran is retiring as program manager, but he will still be helping out as a water tester this summer. Kieran has set an excellent example for other student volunteers. Today's volunteers are tomorrow’s leaders!"
Share Your Local Volunteer Story with FOCA
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All year long FOCA is sharing your stories in celebration of the 2026 'International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development' proclaimed by the UN General Assembly.
Vital volunteers make our communities hum and we value them. Tell us about your own great volunteer, for a chance to be featured in an upcoming edition of the FOCA e-news or on our social media channels.
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| Please share a photo (with the volunteer's permission) and a short paragraph about their contributions to your waterfront community. Accomplishments large and small are worth celebrating and have the power to inspire others to action. Email: info@foca.on.ca | | | | |
Last Call! Partner Survey: Lake Stewardship
Our colleagues at Carleton University remind you to participate in their short survey being undertaken by a graduate student researching lake stewardship and shoreline care. Examples of some of the questions:
- Does your waterfront property have a naturalized or manicured/landscaped shoreline?
- How much do you value protecting the environment?
| | The survey is anonymous and open to anyone age 18+ who owns lakefront property. Feel free to share the survey widely. You could win a draw prize of one of five $100 gift cards for participating! Click 'more' to access the survey. FOCA looks forward to sharing the results when they become available. | | |
Forest Management Annual Work Schedules
On behalf of our members located in Forest Management Units (FMU) across Ontario, FOCA receives notices of updates to Forest Management Plans (FMP) and Annual Work Schedules (AWS) when they become available for public viewing. The AWS describes forest operations such as road construction, maintenance and decommissioning, forestry aggregate pits, harvest, site preparation, tree planting and tending that are scheduled to occur during the year. Lake and Road Associations are encouraged to pay close attention to these notices.
In the past, FOCA had successfully lobbied the Province to digitize the notice system, which used to only be sent by mail to stakeholders with a mail address on file. FOCA receives and forwards these digital notices by email to all members in related forest regions.
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Bancroft-Minden Forest AWS
However, the notice for the Bancroft-Minden Forest AWS covers so vast an area that we are instead including it here as a 'regional notice' since it is sub-divided into no less than 55 separate AWS maps! Click for 'more' and to search for information relevant to your region.
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A Tip from FOCA:
Anyone can review a FMU and read current, upcoming, and past plans, AWS and Annual Reports on the Province's interactive webpage, by clicking 'more'.
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Regional Opportunity: Kawartha Lakes Shoreline Support | | |
Our partners at the Kawartha Lake Stewards Association (KLSA) remind residents in the Kawartha Lakes that you are invited to join KLSA's Shoreline Re-Naturalization Program, part of The Natural Edge in partnership with Watersheds Canada. For a small contribution (~$250) you could receive a personalized shoreline planting plan, native plants and materials delivered to your property, volunteer help with planting, and a healthier lakefront for years to come. Assessments take place in April/May and planting happens in May/June 2026, so click to 'email' KLSA to learn more.
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Partner Survey: Phragmites Communications | | |
FOCA's partners at Ontario Phragmites Action (OPA) invite your feedback in a short survey to help support future OPA program campaigns and resource creation. Click 'more' to be taken to the survey. Examples of some of the questions include:
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- If you saw invasive Phragmites, would you be able to identify it?
- Do you manage invasive Phragmites on private, public, and/or commercial lands?
| | Please Donate to Support FOCA's Advocacy Efforts | | |
Your contribution - whether $5 or $500 - supports FOCA's year-round work to raise the voice of waterfront residents to government on the key issues impacting sustainable watersheds.
image: FOCA Board Chair Donna Commerford at Queen's Park media briefing where FOCA and partners opposed the amalgamation of Ontario's Conservation Authorities (March 25, 2026) - see more near the top of this newsletter
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| FOCA: Inform. Protect. Unite. | | FOCA believes everyone who loves waterfront Ontario has a right to stay up-to-date on the issues that matter. Those who have an existing relationship with FOCA may receive email from us, based on express or implied consent under Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation. We value your privacy and do not share your contact information with third parties. You can unsubscribe at any time, using the link below. | | | | |
