May Long Weekend 2026 Newsletter | | Our vision is to sustain and enhance the cottage experience for generations. | | SURVEY - LAST CALL: Do You Share FOCA News? | | |
Thank you to everyone who has already responded to our quick survey! Do you share these newsletters with others? Thank you! How many others? Please add your input today - the survey closes May 29th.
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| Remember: We encourage all member associations to prompt fellow members to sign up directly to receive FOCA e-newsletters for timely updates. Help us reach our goal of 25,000 subscribers. Share this link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/8FBtE46 | | |
Cottage Opening Tips
Whether you're new to cottage country or a seasoned veteran, click for 'more' to review FOCA's Tips Sheet for Cottage Opening. Have a spectacular long weekend and 2026 cottage season!
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FOCA in Cottage Life Magazine
Look for FOCA's ad in the Early Summer 2026 edition of the Cottage Life Magazine, about stronger lakes and stronger voice.
REMINDER: FOCA member families get a special discount on Cottage Life magazine subscriptions: just $24.95/year. Click 'Member Offer' for the deal, and be sure to share it with your fellow members.
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Last Call: Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Biologist - Contract
FOCA is hiring an AIS Biologist for an exciting 2026 lake assessment pilot project with FOCA. This part-time contract is ideal for an early-career environmental professional passionate about aquatic ecology and protecting Ontario's freshwater.
| | If you are eager to make a meaningful impact through environmental stewardship and collaboration, click for 'more' for the full job posting. Apply by May 25, 2026. | |
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Farewell and Thank You, Deanna!
Please join us in wishing a warm farewell to Deanna Forgie today. For over a decade, she has been an invaluable part of the FOCA team, in most recent years as our dedicated Programs Coordinator. She is moving on to her next adventure with some of our invasive species partners.
Thank you, Deanna, for all your hard work, positivity, and care for our members and our organization.
| | Feel free to drop a line to Deanna via the Communications 'email' link. | |
| | | This long weekend will mark the return to the water for many of us, so it’s a good time to refresh our focus on safe boating. The spring was full of swings in water levels, so it is important to be aware that lakes and waterways could have floating debris at or just below the surface, as well as changed shoreline conditions that may not have been there before. | | Be extra vigilant as the boating season begins. Whether you’re heading out for a quick cruise, fishing, or watersports with family and friends, taking a few extra precautions can help ensure everyone stays safe and enjoys the season on the water – see 'more' in our tips sheet with important considerations from Definity Insurance Company, the provider of the CottageFirst group insurance program exclusively available to FOCA member families. | |
| FOCA in LakeLine: Volunteer Monitoring | | |
FOCA is very pleased to share with you a special open access copy of the Spring 2026 edition of the North American Lake Management Society's publication, LakeLine. Click to 'download' this edition, devoted to the subject of volunteer monitoring. It features an article by FOCA's Lake Stewardship Coordinator, Gavin Vance, about the Lake Partner Program.
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(and jump to 'page 32'
of the PDF)
| | Safe Boating Awareness Week | | |
May 16 to 22, 2026 is Safe Boating Awareness Week, and our partners at the Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC; source of the image) remind you of the dangers of cold water emersion and the importance of PFD use.
YOUR ROLE: Learn 'more' from CSBC and share the information with one new and one seasoned boater this weekend.
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| Beware of High & Fast-Moving Water | | Always be cautious around high or fast-moving water, particularly at this time of year when the system is adjusting to spring flows, and water managers may need to make quick decisions about releasing water through the system. | | |
Ontario Power Generation operates many dams and hydroelectric stations across Ontario cottage country, and you can click 'more' to check their postings, graphs and historic water levels (source of the image at side).
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Did you know that half of all wildland fires are caused by people? Before starting any outdoor fire, check interactive forest danger maps for Ontario and for all of Canada (source of the image showing 'high' ratings in northwestern Ontario today).
Always be aware of the fire hazard, and abide by fire restrictions in your area. Keep outdoor fires at a safe scale, and fully extinguish them with water at the end of the evening.
| | Learn 'more' and get links to maps of fire danger ratings from FOCA's Fire Safety webpage. | | | |
Spring is a great time to take steps that help protect your home or cottage from wildland fire. With a few practical actions around your property, you can lower the chance of a wildland fire damaging buildings.
Home Ignition Zones (click to download a PDF graphic) - Start at the roof, work down the exterior walls, and then focus on the areas closest to your structure.
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This includes the Immediate Zone from zero to 1.5 metres, the Intermediate Zone from 1.5m to 10 metres, and the Extended Zone from 10 to 30 metres.
The FireSmart Begins at Home App can guide you through a property assessment. The FireSmart Begins at Home Guide is also a helpful resource to support you as you get started. For more resources and information, visit FireSmartCanada.ca. For Ontario wildland fire information and updates, visit Ontario.ca/forestfire.
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Public Health Ontario has launched a new Vector-Borne Disease Tool (source of the 2026 'established tick areas' map at the side) with weekly and yearly running totals of reported cases of disease, including Lyme. Get a link to the online tool and learn 'more' about tick and Lyme disease on FOCA's webpage.
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Municipal Election Voters List
As FOCA members begin to confirm they are on the Voters List for the October 2026 municipal elections in Ontario, we are hearing anecdotes about confirming vote status at seasonal properties. FOCA suggests you visit the registertovoteon.ca website, and check twice: Once for your home address, and once for "A property that my spouse or I own or rent other than my home address in Ontario". You can search by 'municipality' name and enter your property roll number (from your property tax bill). You may also need to upload a copy of ID like a driver's license.
| | While FOCA has not yet had a formal response from Elections Ontario to our earlier questions, we will continue to update you in our monthly newsletters, and on our Municipal Government webpage - click for 'more'. Please keep us posted about your experiences confirming your registration to vote. | | | sponsors support our work - please support them | | Winner: SaveStation & Training for your Association | | |
Congratulations to Linda F. of Grace Lake (Wilberforce) who won the SaveStation® Community Cottage AED Package from Action First Aid, valued at over $4,000! The prize includes an outdoor climate-controlled cabinet, an AED (defibrillator) with AED response kit, outdoor AED signage, and a local CPR/AED awareness workshop. That's a complete cardiac safety solution arriving for the Grace Lake community just in time for summer.
Didn't win? You're still covered. Action First Aid is sending a special offer to all who entered the contest as a thank you for caring about cardiac safety at your lake. Entrants, watch your inbox!
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Ready to act now? FOCA members get exclusive pricing on new and pre-owned AEDs. Contact: christine@actionfirstaid.ca | 705-720-2978 x418.
Learn 'more' on FOCA's Benefits page about the member discounts offered on AEDs and other special member offers from our sponsors and partners.
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Member Benefits
When was the last time you visited the FOCA Member Benefits webpage to review all the offers, discounts, and exclusive member benefits? Check out the links for dock solutions, hot tubs, Cottage Life Magazine subscriptions, airport parking, and automated external defibrillators and CPR training - all at special FOCA member family rates!
| | NOTE: we have a new Rogers Preferred Pricing portal link and offers. You no longer require a 'proof of FOCA' certificate, but you will need to access the new order instructions under the member login on our Benefits webpage. | | Don't have or can't recall your personal login for the FOCA website? Contact the office for assistance during business hours: info@foca.on.ca or call 705-749-3622 | | | 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' above for the latest details. | | |
FOCA's Role: Supporting Lake and Road Associations
Want to learn about how FOCA supports lake and road associations with templates, governance tips and best practices to grow and thrive? Click 'more' to explore member resources on the Association Best Practices webpage.
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| sponsors support our work - please support them | |
FOCA Cottage Succession Webinar: Targeting Tax
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 from 7pm to 8:30pm by Zoom - Register to join FOCA for the next session in our 2026 webinar series with estate lawyer Peter Lillico. Take a "deeper dive" into taxation issues related to cottage succession; techniques to avoid, reduce, or defer tax; and planning approaches to fund it.
| | NOTE: An event recording is not circulated to registrants later; please attend online at the event time to hear the updates. | | Families of FOCA Member Associations in good standing attend this event for FREE - one of the many benefits of your association's annual membership in FOCA. You must include your FOCA affiliation (no acronyms, please!) and register separately for every member of your family who wants a Zoom link by email. Click 'more' to register now. | |
| FOCA e-news updates continue below... | | sponsors support our work - please support them | | Invasive Carps Identification | | Cottage country folks along the Great Lakes: although invasive carps are not yet established in Canadian waters, please be on the look-out for them! | | |
There are four species of carps that are invasive to North America: Silver Carp, Bighead Carp, Black Carp, and Grass Carp. All four have a short dorsal fin and no barbels (whisker-like appendages at the corners of their mouths).
| | Click 'more' for FOCA's infographic to learn how to ID invasive carps and what to do if you spot one. Share the news with others on the Great Lakes this long weekend, and throughout the cottage season. | | | |
Transmission Line Announcement
In addition to the Sudbury-Barrie hydro line that we told you about in last month's newsletter, FOCA recently received word that Ontario has fast-tracked a Red Lake Transmission Line to expand northern energy infrastructure and connect Dryden, Ear Falls and Red Lake by the early 2030s.
| | Access 'more' information from a link in the 'Latest News' section of FOCA's Electricity webpage. | | | Trent-Severn Waterway: Staged Opening for 2026 | | |
Our partners at Parks Canada have informed us that increased precipitation in March and April, coupled with significant snowpack in both the Trent and Severn watersheds, has necessitated additional time to reduce water levels and flows to ensure safe boating conditions across the system. There will be a staged opening of the Waterway to protect boater safety and help prevent further shoreline erosion and property damage experienced by residents and businesses. Click for 'more' on lock station status from Parks Canada.
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| Lobbying for Northern Highway Improvements | | |
Earlier this week, the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) announced it is joining the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association and the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities to press for substantial improvements to Highways 11 and 17 as a major national road corridor with high volumes of commercial traffic. They are asking for four-laning of the highway system or implementation of a 2+1 lane model. Read 'more' in coverage from Sudbury.com (source of the image above, courtesy OTA).
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MarshWatch - Great Lakes Edition
Want to learn more about the birds and amphibians in your Great Lakes region marshland? Birds Canada has launched a free program for all skill levels to help you learn how to identify them by sight and sound.
| | Learn ‘more’ from our partners at Birds Canada, and scroll down their webpage to access the four session recordings that cover a range of bird and amphibian identification tips. | | | Canada's Plant Hardiness Zones Have Shifted | | | | For all the gardeners out there: the most recent updates to Canada's plant hardiness map reflect new insights and changed boundaries for plant growing zones as a result of our warming climate. Click for 'more' and to compare the 1960's map to today's ranges (pictured at the side). | |
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Call to Action: Share your Local Volunteer Story with us | | |
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. Accomplishments large and small are worth celebrating and have the power to inspire others to action.
| | 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. Please share a photo (with the volunteer's permission) and a few sentences about their contributions to your waterfront community. Thank you! | | | |
The FOCA office will be closed on Monday, May 18, 2026
for the Victoria Day long weekend.
We wish you the best for a wonderful weekend
in cottage country with friends and family.
| | 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. | | | | |
