DECEMBER 2025 NEWSLETTER

Greetings All!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our members a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season.

A special thank you to our volunteer Board of Directors for all their hard work and to our very engaged members, for which our Ratepayers’ Association would not be the same without! 

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2026!  

Jeff Hopkins, President, LPRA

North Shore Resilience Program (NSRP)

Update Nov 27

“The past year has brought the NSRP many successes. The Austin Pkwy Beach Access project was well received by the community. Next week we will install fencing at the Pines Parkway Beach Access on Woodstock Ave. The area has already been planted with native Lake Erie Beach Grass ethically harvested from the National Wildlife Area. Our community volunteers also planted Little Bluestem and Switch Grass.

We have increased our municipal membership to the Working Group this year, and now all six Elgin municipalities as well as Norfolk participate. Our dune restoration and beach access improvement projects have expanded to Port Bruce and Port Burwell, with Port Stanley and Port Glasgow planned for 2026.

We have seen an impressive number of private landowners participate in the dune restoration program, with more wishing to come on board. This project has the potential to continue with more private landowners and additional walkway improvement projects; however, we will need an increase in funds as our Canada Water Agency funding ends midway through 2026. I have been working on a new funding application that will increase the scope of the North Shore Resilience Project to improve community engagement and expand our scope into other aspects of “Healthy Beaches” including litter and plastic pollution.

I am so grateful for the support of the LPRA, and I hope our project can continue to foster healthier and more resilient beaches in Long Point for the foreseeable future.” 

For further information regarding this project contact Sarah Emons, Conservation Director at conservation@longpointbiosphere.com  

New Garbage Pickup Program Update

On October 20, 2025, the Board wrote to our Ward 1 Councillor Tom Masschaele and Mayor Amy Martin (see below) to express its concern with the new garbage collection system to be implemented effective September 2026, at which time garbage will be reduced from weekly to every two weeks, recycling remains weekly. Norfolk County will also change its garbage collection to a new automated, cart-based system and introduce a county-wide green bin program for organic waste. The new program will use wheeled carts for garbage and is intended to improve efficiency and reduce waste going to the landfill. However, we do not believe the proposed bi-weekly collection of garbage is appropriate during the warm summer months for Long Point. 

This is of particular concern in Long Point given the presence of several short-term rental properties, particularly those occupied to over capacity during the summer months. We strongly encouraged the County to revise the contract to continue weekly collection during the months of June, July and August in Long Point.  

Letter to Norfolk County, October 20 Re: New Garbage Pick-up Frequency

“On behalf of the 400 plus members of the Long Point Ratepayers’ Association, I am writing to express our concerns about the new garbage collection system to be implemented in 2026. While we appreciate and are generally supportive of the County’s desire to make its waste collection practices more up-to-date and cost-effective, we do not believe the proposed bi-weekly collection of garbage is appropriate during the warm summer months. Even with the removal of many organics from the garbage stream through the green bin composting program, it is highly likely that garbage will begin to rot and smell during the two weeks between collections. This is particularly true for garbage that includes meat products and bones, disposable diapers and pet waste that cannot be placed in the green bins.

This is of particular concern in Long Point given the presence of several short-term rental properties that are often occupied to over capacity during the summer months. We believe that weekly garbage collection will help to alleviate such concerns and therefore encourage the County to revise the contract to continue weekly collection during the months of June, July and August in Long Point.

Alternatively, we encourage the County to develop policies for short-term rental properties that would require the renting party to be responsible for collecting and disposing of any garbage generated by their tenants.

We also encourage County staff to review the practices of other jurisdictions using similar waste

collections systems in non-urban resort communities like Long Point and Turkey Point.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.”

Response from Norfolk County, December 5 Re: New Garbage Pick-up Frequency

“Thank you for writing on behalf of the Long Point Ratepayers’ Association and for outlining the concerns related to the upcoming changes to Norfolk County’s waste collection system.

We understand the concerns surrounding bi-weekly garbage collection during the summer months, especially in areas with high seasonal occupancy and short-term rentals. While these concerns are valid, it is important to be clear that the waste collection program, including collection frequency, cannot be altered at this stage. Council has already provided direction on the new waste collection program, and the associated contracts have been executed. As a result, Norfolk County is not able to revise the collection schedule or introduce location-specific adjustments.

To help manage odours and reduce the amount of material remaining in the garbage between pickups, residents are encouraged to make full use of the green bin program. Food scraps, including meat, bones, and other organic materials can all be placed in the organics bin, significantly lowering the potential for odours during warmer months. Organics continue to be collected weekly.

With respect to short-term rental properties, the County encourages individual property owners to include clear expectations for waste handling within their rental agreements. Establishing these requirements directly with tenants is the most effective way to ensure waste is managed responsibly during peak periods.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your concerns.”

Complete details can be found on the Norfolk County website https://www.norfolkcounty.ca/wastechanges/

Rules, Regulations, Permits

A Long Point landowner was recently fined $13,000. for destroying habitat. 

Simcoe Reformer https://www.simcoereformer.ca/news/local-news/long-point-landowner-fined-for-destroying-habitat

Please be sure that you do your research. There are many rules and regulations that require approval and permits at Long Point. For more information check out the links below.  

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests https://www.ontario.ca/page/crown-land-and-shore-land-work-permits

Long Point Regional Conservation  https://www.lprca.on.ca/planning-permits/

Norfolk County https://www.norfolkcounty.ca/business-building-and-development/building-and-renovating/building-permit-guides/  

LPRA Membership Renewal

Some members have expressed frustration that there were only two options to join our Association, a one- or two-year membership. We do listen, so at our AGM in June, members present were asked by a show of hands, how many would like to see a one-, three- and five-year membership and virtually everyone liked the idea. We will now offer these three levels. If your membership card shows that your membership is up for renewal in January 2026 and you would like to beat the rush, you can e-transfer to info@longpointrpa.com now or mail to PO Box 34, Port Rowan NOE 1M0. 



One year is $20, three year is $60 or five years is $100. 

Sponsors

Thank you to the following LPRA Sponsors who support our Association. The LPRA encourages all to shop local and if you find a need for any services while at Long Point, check out these valued sponsors who support us.