Make sure you see all the updates: you're at the end when you see this FOCA banner again: | | |
Power Still Out for 400,000 Ontarians
Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by the ice storm that swept across the province this past weekend. According to news reports and Hydro One’s power outage map (source of the image at the side) as of midday Monday, close to 400,000 homes and businesses are still without power in a stretch of the province extending from Grey-Bruce to the Quebec border. Thank you to all the first responders and Hydro One crews working tirelessly!
Members of the FOCA staff are among those affected by ongoing power and cell outages, so please be patient with our team this week as we work to regain our digital footing.
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2024 FOCA Year in Review
Read about FOCA's work throughout 2024 on behalf of our 525+ member associations and all of waterfront Ontario. We were proud to release this publication earlier this month at the recent FOCA AGM & Spring Seminar. Download your digital copy of the 2024 FOCA Year in Review (PDF, 2,8 MB).
Member Associations: Please ensure you share this update with your member families!
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2025-2027 FOCA Strategic Plan
Also released at the AGM & Spring Seminar by the Chair of the Board of Directors, FOCA has a new Strategic Plan that is measurable, actionable, and achievable, to enable the organization to thrive. This includes our new purpose-led Vision and Mission:
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Our Vision: To sustain and enhance the cottage experience for generations.
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Our Mission: We empower and enable our members by being the leading provider of advocacy, resources, education, programs and services for Ontario cottagers.
Download your digital copy of the FOCA Strategic Plan (PDF, 8.3 MB) including what we heard from interviews and our survey of members and partners about how you value FOCA's role.
We are updating the FOCA Elert sub-headings to reflect our new strategic priorities:
- Create impact through thought leadership and advocacy
- Offer highly relevant content, programs and services
- Deliver a meaningful member experience
- Build operational excellence
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Road Liability Issues
Cade Associates was excited to participate in the panel discussion about private and municipally unassumed rural roads at the FOCA AGM and Spring Seminar on March 1st (more about that, below, in the "Membership Experience" section). We appreciated all of the great questions from the in-person and online audience.
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If you are involved with coordinating maintenance for a road, you may have additional questions Cade would be delighted to answer. Curious about why liability insurance is important? Whether your Association needs to incorporate to buy insurance? What is the best practice for coordinating snow removal on the road? All great questions. Please contact clientservices@cadeinsurance.com
and we look forward to discussing the insurance needs of your Association! FOCA also continues to provide access to great materials and resources for members at https://foca.on.ca/road-issues/.
| | Impact, Thought Leadership & Advocacy | | |
Federal Election
A Canadian federal election will be held on April 28, 2025. FOCA reminds our members that you only get one vote in the federal election, even if you have residences in more than one electoral district.
Get details including a link to Elections Canada's voter registration, here: https://foca.on.ca/federal-elections/
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Capital Gains Tax Update
After lobbying against the change to capital gains tax that was announced last year, FOCA and our members who own seasonal properties in Ontario are pleased to hear that Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last week that the Government of Canada will cancel the proposed hike in the capital gains inclusion rate. Get a link to this and related news on our webpage: https://foca.on.ca/property-taxation-assessment/
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Preparing for the Spring Melt
As Spring temperatures arrive, and ice and snow start to melt, all eyes are on Ontario's flood forecasting information. Local Conservation Authorities have current watershed conditions statements issued for several regions. Get a link to Ontario's flood map and messaging (source of the image at the side) here: https://foca.on.ca/water-levels/. Those on the Trent-Severn Waterway and Rideau Canal are also encouraged to follow daily Parks Canada's waterway management updates from links on that webpage.
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Wildland Fire Season Starts April 1st
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) reported last week they are ready to respond to this year's wildland fire season (April 1 to October 31), having enhanced firefighting capacity with nearly 100 additional permanent positions for the 2025 fire season.
Did you know approximately 50% of all wildland fires are caused by humans? Find out more about your role in preventing fires, in this media release from the Province. (image courtesy the Aviation Forest Fire and Emergency Services branch of MNR).
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Rural and Remote Internet Update
The Province of Ontario announced this month that it is 'ripping up' the $100M contract with Elon Musk's Starlink in wake of the US tariffs, leaving 15,000 people in remote and rural areas in digital limbo waiting for broadband services to catch up. Read details in the "Latest News" section of FOCA's webpage: https://foca.on.ca/rural-internet/
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WildFireSat Announced
In other satellite news, the Canadian Space Agency announced last month that the Government of Canada is investing in satellite monitoring through the design of Canada's WildFireSat constellation: a set of seven microsatellites that will be tailored to monitor wildfires across Canada on a daily basis. Read more in the "Latest News" section of our webpage: https://foca.on.ca/fire-safety/
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Municipalities Valuing Natural Assets
The Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation of the University of Waterloo has released a new guide: Getting Nature into Financial Reporting: Natural Assets Disclosures for Local Governments. The guide outlines how municipalities can start integrating nature into their financial reports as infrastructure that provides financially valuable services to communities. The hope is to make the loss or degradation of natural assets tangible by identifying and quantifying them now. FOCA encourages you to share this information with your own municipal Council!
| | FOCA's Gold Level Sponsors | | sponsors support our work, please support them | | Passing the Torch: Cottage Succession Corner | | |
Ask the Expert
This is our Elert feature: Passing the Torch - your cottage succession questions answered by estate lawyer Peter Lillico, the expert speaker in FOCA's ongoing Cottage Succession Seminar Series. This month's question comes from John K.:
"Can I appoint my son to be a joint tenant along with myself and wife while we are still alive? To avoid paying capital tax?"
Members can login with their Username on FOCA's webpage for the answer from Peter: https://foca.on.ca/cottage-succession/. If you don't have or can't recall your login, contact the office for assistance during business hours.
| | Delivering a Meaningful Member Experience | | |
2024 FOCA Terry Rees Achievement Award Recipient
Congratulations to the White Lake Property Owners Association (WLPOA) of Lanark County, recipients of the 2024 FOCA Award! This award is presented annually at our Annual General Meeting, to a FOCA member Association.
Lake Steward Conrad Gregoire accepted the Award on behalf of WLPOA for environmental monitoring and stewardship of the lake by enthusiastic community science volunteers who have created a bi-monthly Environment Bulletin, annual State of the Lake Reports, and a White Lake Science website. (Pictured: FOCA Board Vice President Donna Commerford presents the award to Conrad.) Learn more about this Award, and apply on behalf of your own association for 2025 activities!
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event recap: 2025 FOCA AGM & Spring Seminar
Thank you to everyone who joined us in person and by webinar, to make the FOCA Annual General Meeting and Spring Seminar such a success! We had over 250 members participate in sessions on road issues, association governance, source water protection, and much more.
Members are encouraged to login to the Events webpage to download a full Event Summary that includes links to the slides shown. Please leverage this as part of your member benefits, and use the write ups in an upcoming e-news or newsletter for your Association!
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Login for all your FOCA Member Benefits
Please note that all our Member Associations and our annual supporters - the "Friends of FOCA" - have been onboarded to FOCA's MemberPress system with individualized web logins. As a result, the old generic "focamember" login has been discontinued.
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Association Member Families: Your association renewal contact has a link (specific to your association) that you can use to set up your own unique Username and Password as a Sub-Account of your association, in order to access all the member benefits and members-only materials on the FOCA website. Please ask your association representative to reach out to FOCA if they need assistance locating the association's link.
| | FOCA's Silver Level Sponsors | | sponsors support our work, please support them | | Offering Highly Relevant Programs & Services | | |
FOCA is Leading SWP Best Practices for Lake Communities
FOCA recently wrapped up Phase 1 of findings from the Source Water Protection (SWP) pilot project undertaken at Crego Lake (City of Kawartha Lakes) in collaboration with members of the Kinmount Park Estates Association. Technical studies uncovered the relative vulnerabilities to surface and groundwater sources, and an extensive list of recommendations were made to support the community’s safe drinking water.
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FOCA will be proceeding, using the lessons learned from the 2024-25 Phase 1 project, to work with three more Ontario lake communities on a volunteer-driven SWP Plan, and to delineate a path forward for other volunteer groups to similarly pursue their own drinking water protection process in the future. The goal is to empower local communities to take charge of their drinking water safety, and to effectively identify and reduce their risks. To find out more about SWP visit: https://foca.on.ca/source-water-protection/. Members can also download related slides from the SWP presentation at the FOCA AGM & Spring Seminar - see the Event Summary (link to Events webpage is above).
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Phragmites Management
The Ontario Phragmites Management Regional Plan Guidebook is a free guide designed to support municipalities and their regional partners throughout Phragmites eradication projects. To learn how to manage invasive Phragmites in your area, access the Guide from the "Latest News" section of FOCA's webpage: https://foca.on.ca/phragmites/
| | Partner Updates & Regional Notices | | |
Sinkhole Closed Hwy 11 North
Spring potholes are one hazard Canadians expect, but that's nothing compared to a sinkhole that opened up on Highway 11 northbound near Sparrow Lake in the Gravenhurst area on Thursday afternoon on March 27, 2025. The road has received emergency attention and is open again, but not before sending one person to hospital. Read updates on the BayToday webpage, source of the image at the side.
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partner event: Itasca Waters Webinars
Across the border in Minnesota, the 2025 edition of the "Practical Water Wisdom" free webinar series returns at lunch hour on the first Thursday of each month from February through December.
Register for the upcoming session on April 3, 2025: Beaver Dams, Ponds and Effects: https://itascawaters.org/water-wisdom-2025
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partner event: Well Maintenance & Safety
April 9, 2025 - As part of the ongoing Drinking Water Wise Webinar series, Quinte Conservation invites those who get their drinking water from a well to attend an upcoming virtual webinar with a licensed well technician and a Public Health Inspector. Register for free here.
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partner event: Watersheds Canada Conference
May 1-2, 2025 - FOCA will be participating in the first Watersheds Canada National Conference, taking place as an in-person event in Haliburton, Ontario. Review the agenda and speaker details, and purchase tickets online here: https://watersheds.ca/conference/
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partner event: Ontario Biodiversity Summit
May 21-22, 2025 - as a member of the Ontario Biodiversity Council, FOCA will be participating in the 2025 Ontario Biodiversity Summit: Our Turning Point for Nature, being held as an in-person event in Peterborough, Ontario. The themse are: empowering people; reducing threats; enhancing resilience; improving knowledge; transforming investments. The summit and its outcomes will also drive implementation of Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy and its 13 targets and 43 priority actions. Review the agenda and speaker details, and register online here: https://event.fourwaves.com/obs-2025/pages
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Eastern Ontario Cell Towers
Our partners at the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) announced in mid-March that two new cell towers just went into service in the County of Frontenac. To date, 4 of 13 new planned towers are in service, and 13 existing towers have been upgraded as part of the Cell Gap Project.
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Fish in Muskoka
Wondering about the fish that call Muskoka home, the conditions they need, and how climate change is impacting cold water fish like lake trout?
The Muskoka Watershed Council's "Report Card" has all the details. Check out Chapter 5 for the skinny on fish.
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Utilizing Drone Technology in the Kawarthas
Kawartha Conservation (KC) reports they have taken the first steps toward using drone technology for erosion and sediment control in a pilot project at a Lindsay-area construction site. The intent is to protect local water bodies from construction-related sediment runoff, through digital data collection. Read more from KC about the project.
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event recap: Spring Cottage Life Show
March 20-23, 2025 - FOCA had hundreds of visitors to our booth at the Spring Cottage Life Show, getting answers to their questions about invasive species like phragmites and Eurasian watermilfoil, private road access and maintenance, municipal shoreline bylaws, association insurance and membership in FOCA, short-term rental accommodations and related welcome sheets to orient visitors - the list goes on!
We also heard estate lawyer Peter Lillico speaking on the main stage about cottage succession. Click the image at the side to enlarge it for visual highlights from the event.
If you have a cottage country question, start your search by keyword here: https://foca.on.ca/issues-programs/
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event recap: IJC Microplastics Webinar
The International Joint Commission (IJC) is an independent body established under the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty between Canada and the US, to prevent and resolve disputes over shared waters and other transboundary issues, acting as an objective advisor to both governments. Watch a recent webinar on plastic pollution in the Great Lakes (including the microplastics concentrations in each of the 5 Great Lakes, and related ecological and health impacts) hosted by the Great Lakes Science Advisory Board of the IJC, from a link in the "Latest News" our webpage: https://foca.on.ca/plastics/
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Swimsuit Safety
Let's start planning for summer at the lake! Do you know what colours and patterns of swimsuits provide the best visibility for lake swimming? Find out from test results posted by a public water safety education organization. (Thank you to our member, Margie, at the Wolfe Lake Association for bringing this information to our attention!)
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