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Lingering tornado debris sparks wildfire concerns in Tweed, Ont.

Photo by @vaughanweather/Twitte

It’s been nine months since a tornado tore through the Municipality of Tweed, Ont., north of Belleville, and yet the surrounding forests are still littered with downed trees and matted brush—prime conditions for a wildfire.

“You get a lightning strike, or you get a hot brake shoe coming off a vehicle, or a discarded cigarette, and you’ve got a Fort McMurray-level disaster here,” says Sandor Johnson, owner of the Potter Settlement Artisan Winery in Tweed.

Right now, Tweed’s fire risk status is high. And if the weather remains warm and dry, the municipality may introduce a burn ban. “All it takes is one ember to lift up and hit a dry spot,” says Sean Porter, Tweed’s fire prevention officer. “And before you can run and grab a rake or a bucket of water, it’s already outside the control of one individual.” 

Just last week, a transport truck broke down and caught fire at the end of Potter Settlement Road. 

And the day before that, Tweed’s fire department put out a run-away blaze a few kilometres from the tornado-damaged area.

“It was a matter of minutes before the fire just started running,” Porter says of the fire. “If that had happened 15 minutes to the west, we’d probably still be there. It’s a tinderbox over there.” 

The area affected by the tornado is so thick with downed trees that Porter says if a wildfire started, it would be unsafe to send in firefighters. Instead, the municipality would need to rely on water bombers.

Tweed has negotiated a five-year contract with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) to be covered by the ministry’s water bombing planes between April to November’s fire season. The service will cost the municipality $6,500 per year.

The water bombers, however, are generally based out of Dryden and Sudbury in Northern Ontario, meaning that if a wildfire did start, it could be an hour or two before the planes arrived. The other issue is that the swamps, puddles, and gullies that Tweed’s fire department typically draws from when fighting fires are low this spring. “It’s gone too fast,” Porter says. “We didn’t get a deep enough freeze this year, so a lot of the surface snow is just absorbed right back into the ground.”

After the tornado touched down on July 24, 2022, residents cleared trees and brush from private land. But the surrounding Crown land has been left mostly untouched. Fallen trees clog rivers and areas once used for hunting are now too dangerous to enter, according to a letter sent to the MNRF from Bob Mullin, Warden of Hastings County.

Tweed has been trying to bring in professional tree removal services since the tornado first hit, but the municipality lacked the funding to afford it. Council petitioned the provincial government for financial aid, warning about flood and wildfire threats from the downed trees. But Tweed was met with a lack of communication from both the MNRF and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH).

It wasn’t until March 20, 2023, eight months after the tornado, that the provincial government provided Tweed with funding to support clean-up efforts. The municipality received $1.2 million to remove fallen trees, clear debris from rivers, and start reforesting.

As part of this funding, residents with fallen trees within 30 metres of a structure on their property are being asked to submit a property access waiver and release form to have the fallen trees removed. This is intended to create a firebreak so that if a wildfire did start, it wouldn’t have any easy path to people’s homes.

But Johnson points out that most property owners did this within the first few days after the tornado. “This was the first thing that people did when the trees came down. They cut them around their house and their driveways,” he says. Instead, Johnson feels the municipality should be clearing any debris within 60 metres of people’s homes and businesses. “You get a forest fire and your house is like popcorn. It’s just going to burn up. Thirty metres is not enough.”

To keep your property safe from a wildfire, Porter says you don’t want cedar and pine trees within 10 metres of a structure because they catch fire easily. He also suggests trimming branches within six feet of the ground as they can be reached by a grass fire, which would in turn cause your structure to catch faster.

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Cottage Life

4 cottage tax considerations you should know about before you file

Photo by JulieK2/Shutterstock

Owning a cottage comes with extra responsibilities, particularly come tax time. Though more than 155,000 workers at the Canada Revenue Agency and the Treasury Board voted to strike late on April 18th, you still need to file your taxes before the April 30, 2023 deadline to avoid paying penalties.

You might be wondering if there are any special considerations you should be aware of before filing. A good CPA will always guide you in the right direction, but if you’re still handling your taxes yourself, or curious about the tax implications of buying a cottage—here are a few tax considerations you’ll want to keep in mind.

The Staycation Tax Credit

The Staycation Tax Credit was first introduced by the Ontario government in 2021 as a way to bolster travel within the province when out-of-country travel was still challenging due to the pandemic. It was also introduced with the intention of helping Ontario businesses bring in new income as the travel and hospitality industry suffered a huge hit during periods of lockdown.

So, if you live in Ontario and you rented a cottage in Ontario in 2022, you can claim the rental fee you paid and receive a tax credit. “The credit applies mainly to lodging—you can’t claim it on flights, gas, or admission to different parks and amenities,” says Jeanette Chong, a CPA at Canadian Bookkeeping Services. The credit amounts up to $200 for an individual and $400 for a family. “You may need to provide proof, so always keep your receipts for at least seven years,” Chong says. “Since it is a refundable tax credit, you will get this credit regardless if you owe taxes in 2022 or not.”

Claiming rental expenses

If you rent out your cottage even for a short portion of the year, don’t forget to claim rental expenses on your taxes. “You can claim expenses such as property taxes, maintenance fees, and mortgage interest,” Chong says. But keep in mind that you must accurately report expenses based on the time your property was used as a rental. That means, if it was only rented out for two months of the year, you can only claim these expenses for 17 per cent of the year. “In this case, you can claim 17 per cent of property taxes, mortgage interest, and maintenance fees for the year,” she says.

When it comes to expenses related directly to renting the property, you can claim 100 per cent of these expenses. “For example, if you have a cleaning service come in after each renter to clean up, or place an ad somewhere to rent it out, then 100 per cent of those expenses can be claimed.”

Deferring capital gains

Keeping the cottage in the family over generations is a goal for most cottage owners—but that’s not as simple as it seems. When it comes to second homes like cottages, capital gains can become an expense that many children taking over the cottage from deceased parents aren’t prepared for. Especially with cottages that were bought decades ago for a small fraction of what they’re worth today. “When you pass on your cottage, the difference between what you paid for it, and what you sold it for is considered a capital gain,” Chong says. Since your children are on the hook for the capital gains tax upon your death, this bill can come as a big shock. If a cottage was bought for $70,000, for example, and is now worth in the millions, that capital gains tax bill will be large.

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But there are ways to ease this tax burden—if your cottage is now worth more than your principal residence, you can switch the cottage to your primary residence for tax purposes and have the second home capital gains tax applied to your other home instead. Alternatively, you can consider co-owning the cottage with your children now. This would require capital gains tax payment on the portion your children now own, making the portion they have to pay after your death significantly less. You can even gift it to them now in full, paying the capital gains tax up until now, so the burden is lessened for them. Of course, there is always a risk in giving up ownership of property, especially if your children have creditors, or spouses who might have other plans for it—so consider these options wisely.

“Another scenario where you can defer the capital gains is if you use that money from the sale to purchase another property,” says Chong. “In the end though, you will still have to pay the capital gains when the second property is sold.”

Expenses you can claim after selling

Finally, if you sold your cottage, don’t forget to claim expenses. “If it is not your principal residence, there are things you can claim—including the cost difference from the original purchase price of the property, land transfer taxes, real estate commissions, real estate inspections, legal fees, and renovation costs,” Chong says. A tax specialist can help ensure you’re claiming everything you legally can, so your tax responsibility will be as low as possible.

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Cottage Life

Cage diving with great white sharks coming to Nova Scotia this summer

Photo by Stefan Pircher/Shutterstock

Are you ready to swim with the sharks? Nova Scotia is getting its first-ever shark cage diving experience hosted by the new company Atlantic Shark Expeditions. 

Based out of Liverpool, N.S., the business will charge participants $395 per person ($355 for students) to cage dive with great white sharks from August 1 to the end of October. Boats depart daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The company aims to combine shark research and conservation with thrill-seeking adventure and family fun. 

The minimum age to cage dive with sharks is 10 years old and all patrons will be provided with proper gear and a wetsuit before diving. Staff will try to lure sharks to the boat with bait, although they do not guarantee shark sightings. 

Founder of Atlantic Shark Expeditions Neil Hammerschlag and boat captain Art Gaetan have developed strict policies to ensure the safety of participants. They have been working hard to ensure their boats meet Transport Canada standards and the diving cages are properly constructed. They modelled their business off of Apex Shark Expeditions in South Africa, where they both conducted research for many years.

“We care about the safety of not only the people but the sharks too,” says Hammerschlag. In as safe an environment as possible, the expeditions will “provide the opportunity for the public to learn about and help support the conservation of sharks through ecotourism and citizen science.” Ecotourism is essential to shark research because it helps fund the science, and the majority of profits will go toward advancing the research and educating the public. 

Hammerschlag stresses that cage diving is a crucial first step toward better understanding shark behaviour for both scientists and everyday people alike. Guests will have the opportunity to observe shark tagging and tracking, shark biopsies and anatomy, and other shark research in real-time. “We give people the opportunity to become a marine biologist for the day,” says Hammerschlag.

Some community members in South Shore are raising concerns about the presence of sharks near surfers and beachgoers. Other worries have centred on the ethics and sustainability of cage diving and the idea that sharks will associate humans with food. Cage diving will also not solve the problems of overfishing, depopulation, and habitat destruction that are adversely impacting shark populations. In addition, carelessness and recklessness while out on the water with sharks could have severe consequences. 

Hammerschlag says staff will be three kilometres from shore and far away from any beaches or surfing spots. Captain Gaetan will also survey new sites every day so that cage diving happens in a different location with each outing. The sharks will not actually be fed, and bait will only be used to lure them near the boat. Hammerschlag notes that because sharks have poor eyesight, they will not be able to see humans in the cages, so any association is unlikely. “You also have to realize that what we are doing pales in comparison to hundreds of seals off the coast of Nova Scotia that attract sharks far more than humans do,” says Hammerschlag. 

Despite concerns, the community reaction has been overwhelmingly positive and many people are excited by the prospect of shark cage diving. If you want to swim with great white sharks, check out Atlantic Shark Expeditions. Too scary? You can find more ocean adventures in Nova Scotia here.

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Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare to build two new hospitals in south Muskoka

Photo courtesy Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare, Facebook

Two new hospitals are coming to the south Muskoka region in an effort to enhance access to quality healthcare in Huntsville and Bracebridge. 

Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare will provide necessary upgrades to the existing Huntsville District Memorial Hospital and the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge. Both current hospitals have been in operation for about fifty years and are in need of infrastructure improvements to meet modern community needs.

The planning process for the two new hospitals has been ongoing for years but is now in the developmental stages. The new hospital will be built upon the existing Memorial Hospital site in Huntsville. In Bracebridge, sites are being surveyed to build on new land, and planners have narrowed it down to three possible locations. Important factors in determining location are proximity to Highway 11, access to public transportation, availability of municipal services, and consideration of seasonal residents and cottage owners. 

The Ministry of Health for the province of Ontario is expected to cover up to 90 per cent of all construction and ancillary costs for the new hospitals. However, the communities themselves are expected to cover 100 per cent of all equipment and furnishing expenses. “This is a tremendous cost,” says Mayor Nancy Alcock of Huntsville. “But we can do it. And we already have two hospital foundations that have raised money from the community for the new sites.” The Huntsville branch of Scotiabank has even donated $100,000 to the hospital fund. You can find more information on becoming a donor here. 

Equipment costs for the new hospitals are estimated to reach $25 million. Mayor Alcock says that municipalities within south Muskoka will continue advocating to the province for more funding. “First and foremost, we are really thankful that the province recognized the need for two hospitals here,” says Mayor Alcock. “We worked hard to keep both hospitals in Huntsville and Bracebridge. Money can’t come before this.” 

MAHC President and CEO Cheryl Harrison also adds that “the existing hospitals will be transferring over as much of the equipment and furniture as they are able to in order to minimize the impact.” The new hospitals will bring needed jobs into these communities, with job growth expected in both construction and hospital staff. “There will be a large number of construction jobs for the 2-3 year construction period at each site,” says Harrison. “In addition, each hospital will be planned with more beds than we presently have, which means there will be expanded staffing.” 

This is good news for an ongoing shortage of doctors and nurses in Northern Ontario. There is a deficit of 350 doctors, nurses, specialists, pediatricians, and anesthesiologists in the region, up from 325 in 2022. A similar trend is taking place across Canada, highlighting the need for better access to healthcare and better recruitment strategies for healthcare professionals in rural and remote communities. 

MAHC hosted public information sessions for the two new hospitals at virtual and in-person meetings in January. More information sessions are scheduled for April 17-22 not only for Bracebridge and Huntsville residents, but also for people from Gravenhurst, Port Carling, and Burk’s Falls. “All communities in south Muskoka have a stake in this,” Mayor Alcock says. “People are excited. They’re nervous about the costs, but they are mostly excited and they want this to succeed.” 

“Nearly 500 people joined us at open houses in January, and generally, there is enthusiasm for new hospitals to become a reality in Muskoka,” says Harrison. “The new facilities will allow us to meet building codes and provide an environment that is better suited to staff to deliver care and to the patients who receive it. They will have a better design for efficient flow of services, including diagnostic and care delivery equipment.” 

Cottage owners in south Muskoka stand to benefit from this too. Since the start of the pandemic, cottage country populations have been booming, and there has been some lag between the growing demands of the community and infrastructure development. Investing in and building new facilities is fundamental to meeting the modern needs of residents and cottage owners and updating existing services. 

For cottagers concerned about what might happen if they ever experienced an emergency while alone at the cottage, the new hospitals come as welcomed news. Infrastructure improvements in the area could lead to better access to paramedics and other emergency response teams. This, in turn, will lead to faster and more effective healthcare for both local and seasonal residents alike.

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Enjoy happy hour with your pup at these pet-friendly restaurants and patios in cottage country

PongMoji/Shutterstock

We know docktails are an easy happy hour choice, but some beautiful summer days call for venturing into town to enjoy a patio. The hardest part? Figuring out what to do with your pup. We’ve rounded up a few pet-friendly restaurants and patios in cottage country so you never have to leave Fido back at the cottage again. Grab the leash, and let’s go.

El Pueblito in Bracebridge, Ont.

Bring your pooch to El Pueblito’s patio to indulge in delicious and authentic Mexican food like tostadas, tacos, and mole poblano. It’s open Tuesday through to Saturday from 3:00 to 9:30 p.m. While you’re there, make sure to keep your pup on a leash, and bring a water bowl for those hot, sunny days. 

Frosty Pint Pub in Gravenhurst, Ont.

Grab your furry friend (both cats and dogs!) and head down to the Frosty Pint Pub, Gravenhurst’s trendiest pub patio, open all year. Enjoy pub fare and local music events while sipping on what Frosty’s calls “beer so cold, it’s hard to hold!” 

Sawdust City Brewing Co. in Gravenhurst, Ont.

If you’re a beer enthusiast, you won’t want to skip out on Sawdust City Brewing Co’s pet-friendly restaurant and patio when the warm weather arrives. Not only do they brew their beer in-house, but they also offer cider, plus craft cocktails from Georgian Bay Spirit Co. 

Bonus: this brewery is a huge supporter of our furry friends and holds events in support of shelters like Carter’s Rescue in Dogtober. Stay tuned for when their patio opens. 

Carey’s Irish Pub in Gravenhurst, Ont.

Carey’s Irish Pub claims to have the best wings in town—but we’ll let you and your pup be the judge of that when you visit their outdoor patio. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., stop by and check out the features that rotate each week.

On the Docks in Huntsville, Ont. 

For a waterfront experience in the heart of downtown Huntsville, check out On the Docks when the weather gets warm. Enjoy the largest selection of draught beers or try a dish off of their ‘no fry’ menu while you and your dog soak up the sun on the lower deck patio. Open every day from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Plan ahead of time because it’s walk-ins only.

The Bobcaygeon Inn Restaurant in Bobcaygeon, Ont.

The Bobcaygeon Inn Restaurant welcomes you and your furry friends to the largest waterfront patio in the Kawarthas everyday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Enjoy fish and chips, hamburgers, and hand-cut fries on their private dock with a garden. 

Murphy’s Lockside Pub and Patio in Kawartha Lakes, Ont. 

Murphy’s Lockside Pub and Patio is no stranger to the pups in the area and always invites furry friends to enjoy a cold one (a cold bowl of water, that is!) on their patio in the spring and summer. Enjoy this fun and casual spot right on Lock 34 and taste their rotating special or brunch on the weekends. 

Quayle’s Brewery in Coldwater, Ont. 

For a unique, all-year experience, head down to Qualye’s Brewery, which has outdoor seating for you and your pooch from Thursday to Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. or 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Not only will you drink the beer at the farm where the hops are grown, but you’ll have a blast attending their family-friendly events. Plus, they offer jumbo pretzels, charcuterie boards, and soup and sandwich combos when you need a salty snack from all the sun. 

Carthew Bay Pub & Scoops in Orillia, Ont. 

Cool down in the summers at Carthew Bay Pub & Scoops with some ice cream, a cold one, and a pup cup for your furry friend. And, if you need a bigger bite to eat come lunch or happy hour, grab some chicken tenders or fish and chips here too. 

Tailwinds Georgian Bay in Parry Sound, Ont. 

Don’t miss out on Tailwinds Georgian Bay in Parry Sound. This pet-friendly restaurant has waterfront views and a wraparound patio for you and your four-legged friend to sit back and relax seven days a week, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Enjoy a variety of vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options. Plus, catch the float plane landing out back. 

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9 Gordon Lightfoot songs for your summer cottage playlist

Photo by catwalker/Shutterstock, Photo by Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock

Gordon Lightfoot is one of Canada’s most iconic singer-songwriters. Born and raised in Orillia, Ont., he achieved popularity in the 1960s and 70s as a folk and country music artist with a real knack for the guitar. His songs are about the history and beauty of Canada, political and social issues, and love, loss, and loneliness. 

Lightfoot has been dubbed Canada’s favourite songwriter and its most influential international musician. His songs particularly resonate in cottage country, where his lyrics often reflect on the beauty of the natural landscape of the region. We’ve curated nine Gordon Lightfoot songs to add to your cottage playlist and enhance the feel-good vibes this summer.

1. “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” 

One of Lightfoot’s most popular and well-known songs, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” tells the story of the eponymous ship that sank in Lake Superior in November 1975. It’s a song about the brutality of nature, but also the beauty and mystery of the Great Lakes. We don’t recommend listening to this song while boating, though! 

2. “Christian Island (Georgian Bay)” 

This is a classic cottage song and perfect for a day on the water. It was inspired by one of Lightfoot’s many trips to Christian Island in Georgian Bay. In December 2022, we ran a story on a community that also loves Christian Island so much they’ve been cottaging there together for decades. 

3. “Carefree Highway”

Are you looking for the best song to listen to on the drive up to the cottage? Look no further than “Carefree Highway.” This song will make you want to roll your windows down, let the wind run through your hair, and forget your worries. 

4. “Sundown” 

A beautiful, bright, and sunny song about love and longing that’s perfect for those feel-good cottage vibes. Listen to this song while watching the sunset at the end of your dock. We also love when readers take photos of sunsets and tag us on our Instagram.

5. “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” 

Gordon Lightfoot was commissioned by CBC to write a song for Canada’s centennial anniversary in 1967 and “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” was the result. Reflecting the optimistic tone of building the Canadian Pacific Railway, this song will make you proud to be Canadian and part of such a rich history. From the Rockies to Gaspé, the song covers the entirety of this great nation.

6. “Pussywillows, Cat-Tails” 

This one is purely good fun. Inspired by Lightfoot’s youth in Orillia, it is an ode to Canada’s beauty that lasts through every season, beginning with the “soft winds” of spring and ending with the “harsh nights” of winter. It’s perfect for the cottage at any time of year.

7. “The Watchman’s Gone” 

Lightfoot sings about Canada’s time-honoured tradition of train hopping and seeing the beauty of the country from the windows of a passing train. Although the watchman is trying to kick the train hoppers out, this doesn’t stop Lightfoot from wanting “to follow the golden sun.” 

8. “Steel Rail Blues”

Trains and railroads are a common theme throughout Lightfoot’s songwriting. In this railroad song, Lightfoot invokes images of a carefree Canada mixed with a lover’s longing for his sweetheart back home. Even though the lovers in this song are never reunited, its tone is still lighthearted and jovial and great for your next journey, whether by train, plane, or car. 

9. “Early Morning Rain” 

Lightfoot wrote this after watching a friend depart from the Los Angeles airport, where he was feeling particularly homesick for Canada. Whether you’re longing for home or for the cottage, this song is the perfect conclusion to a weekend getaway and the best way to cap off your next cottage trip.

You can listen to our playlist here.

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Cottage Life

Myth or truth? 6 theories about power outages at the cottage explained

Photo by Princess_Anmitsu/Shutterstock

At least a couple of times a summer at my sister-in-law Mary Kelly’s cottage on Lake Muskoka, Ont., the power fails. The lights go out, the fridge and freezer go silent, and there are muttered prayers for fully charged cell phones and that the power will be restored before all the food—they’re on an island, after all—spoils.

Mary checks first to see if it’s just her cottage or if her neighbours are also experiencing an outage. She then calls Hydro One to report it. If there’s been a major storm or the power has been out for a while, she’ll hear helicopters. “I always hear them when there’s a big outage,” she says.

That’s the thing with power outages. We’re all too familiar with what’s taking place in our cottages during a blackout—the rummaging for flashlights or candles, the expletives, perhaps a jolt of excitement injected into an otherwise humdrum day.

But most of us haven’t a clue what’s happening at the other end. What caused the outage? How long can we expect to be without power? Should we turn everything off? Are we imagining it, or does this seem to be happening more frequently? We asked the experts to shine a light on the common myths we tell ourselves while we’re in the dark.

1. Recent power outages are caused by demand on the grid

Myth. Sure, lots more cottages have AC and big screens these days, but the same thing has been primarily causing power outages since the advent of, well, power.

“Blame the trees,” says Kendall Garry, a distribution line superintendent at Hydro One. Whether it’s because of wind or ice and snow, trees topple and branches break to take down power lines. This is particularly true in cottage country, where mostly overhead conductors run through the tree canopy. Second to trees is motor vehicle accidents, she says. Sometimes the outage is due to equipment failure—in the winter, ice can build up on the equipment, for example—or less commonly, animals getting into equipment boxes. But greater stress on the grid isn’t the culprit.

2. There are a lot more power outages than there used to be

Myth. Not more outages, just more awareness of outages, says Garry. Thanks to social media, we hear about every outage whether we’re personally affected by it or not, leading to an overall impression that they’re more common.

3. Climate change will lead to more power outages

True. “Climate change is causing increasingly severe and frequent storms and floods that are putting more communities and people at risk,” says Anna Kanduth, a senior research associate at the Canadian Climate Institute. Power outages in Canada cost an estimated $12 billion annually, a cost she expects will increase along with extreme weather. What’s more, as Canada transitions to renewable energy (people switching to electric vehicles, industrial plants converting away from fossil fuels), the Institute estimates that by 2050, the demand on the grid will be almost double.

Hydro One, along with other utility companies, is working hard to build reliability and resiliency into the grid, says Garry. That work includes replacing older utility poles; cutting down diseased trees near power lines; and replacing transformers and upgrading the infrastructure at transformer stations. When a harsh weather event beckons, “A lot of rigour and time goes into staffing for these events to make sure we can respond swiftly and efficiently,” she says. “Everyone in the industry is looking towards how we can improve.”

But Kanduth argues that it isn’t happening quickly enough. “Unfortunately, the risks around us have changed, but our infrastructure and electricity systems have not—and we continue to build for yesterday’s environment. We aren’t building with materials that can withstand increasing temperatures and higher rainfall, for example.”

4. The power stays out longer in rural areas than in urban ones

Myth. No truth to this one, though Garry admits it can be harder to access equipment in some off-road areas, which is why Mary Kelly sees and hears helicopters. “Hydro One has helicopters that we use in different ways,” Garry says. “We’ll use them to patrol, to move equipment, and to transport personnel.” The helicopters are moving poles and equipment out to areas that aren’t easily accessed by truck, snowmobile, or boat.

So what does happen when an outage is reported? Hydro One has automated devices on power lines that can section off part of a line to reduce the number of customers affected by an outage, and the devices can also help crews identify where the issue may be on the line.

Often, Hydro One first learns about an outage when someone reports it (so keep calling!). Crews are on call 24/7 so, once the outage is reported, they are dispatched to do a damage assessment. If possible, repairs are made right away. But if it’s a larger issue, such as a location that’s hard to reach, which requires specialized off-road equipment, or a problem at a station that requires a different team of experts, “we prioritize those outages, and we dispatch crews accordingly,” Garry says.

Workers are alerted to outages whatever the time and are told to report where they are needed, and crews can often be at the outage site in less than an hour from the time they are notified. There is a “restoration protocol,” she says, “and a plan for communicating back to the customers when they can expect to see their power back on.” The protocol is based on priority—responding to 911 emergencies or live lines that are down; then restoring power to emergency services, such as hospitals, fire and police stations, and water and sewage treatment facilities; then addressing the outage that would “do the greatest good for the greatest number,” according to Hydro One; and then finally to whoever is left.

Crews update the Ontario Grid Control Centre, which operates the province’s power system, on their progress, and those updates are shared with customers through Hydro One’s call centre, the outage map, on social media, and through text alerts.

5. If you need the toilet, fill a bucket with water from the lake to flush

True (sort of). Sure, you can grab a bucket of lake water to flush your toilet during a power outage, says Rob Davis, the owner of EcoEthic in Sunderland, Ont. But that’s only if there’s no sewage pump connected to your system. “Many systems have a pump chamber, which the sewage flows into,” Davis says. “Sewage is then pumped to the septic tank or from the septic tank pump pit to the leaching field.”

It’s the pump, he explains, that won’t work during a power outage, and while your system can hold a certain amount of sewage, whether it holds enough for continued use during an outage depends on the system—and the length of the outage. This is true for any water that goes down your drain: it all goes into the same system. At Davis’s cottage on Kashawigamog Lake, Ont., the bucket method works dandy during outages because his system is gravity fed. The neighbours, however, have a pump, so they rely on Davis’s loo to make deposits during an outage. Outhouse enthusiasts get the last laugh. No power? No matter!

6. Outages can damage electronics, especially high-end ones

True, potentially—though it’s not the outage that does the damage, it’s the restoration of power. The sudden spike in current and voltage can cause an “arc” that generates heat that can damage electronics and circuit boards. Even if the damage isn’t immediately obvious, it can cause problems down the road with devices that eventually stop working short of their expected lifespan. They can be damaged if they’re plugged in, even if they’re not on.

Brandon Boyd, the emergency operations manager for Eastern Ontario at the Canadian Red Cross, suggests turning off appliances, electrical equipment, and turning the thermostat down (if the heat was on) or up (if the AC was on) after the power goes out. Avoid any potential damage by plugging sensitive electronics into surge protectors.

Leslie Garrett divides her vacation time between her family cottage on Lake Huron and a summer home on Martha’s Vineyard.

Why 72 hours?

Are you one of the one in three Canadians who have taken the Red Cross’ advice to prepare for disaster? If so, you know that you should have three days’ worth of supplies, including food, water, batteries; anything specific to your family, such as medication and pet food; and a portable radio.

Why three days? Brandon Boyd at the Canadian Red Cross says that the “72-hour preparedness focus” was first launched in 2006. “The three-day window strikes a balance of being very useful in an emergency without appearing too overwhelming to the average person to prepare in advance.” In other words, the Red Cross knows that most of us are lazy and unjustifiably confident that we’ll be “just fine.” For the keeners, says Boyd, “having supplies for longer than three days would be amazing, and I certainly encourage folks to assess their situation and prepare for as long as is feasible.”

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Cottage Coach: A DIY trick for removing scratches on stainless steel

Courtesy of Adam Holman


Is your stainless steel stove or sink scratched up beyond recognition? Our Cottage Coach, Adam Holman, shows an easy and effective way to buff out those annoying lines and marks. In no time at all, your stainless steel will be shining like new again!

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Cottage Life

Can you spot it? New Pokemon-inspired guide helps people explore nature

Photo by mvc_stock/Shutterstock

As a kid, Natalie Rudkins and her family would pack up the car and drive two hours from her home in Barrie to visit a relative outside Bancroft, Ont. On her relative’s property was a pond where Rudkins spent her time squishing through the mud in search of leopard frogs, garter snakes, and crayfish. At night, she watched the curved wings of bats crest the dark sky. And sometimes, from a distance, she might spot a black bear stumbling through the nearby trees.

These moments sparked Rudkins’ interest in the natural world. During her environmental science degree at the University of Waterloo, Rudkins got into birding and botanizing; downloading apps to help her identify species. One of these apps was called Seek. The app challenged users to photograph different species to unlock achievements.

“It’s really gamified, and it’s a great way for people to find things,” Rudkins says.

This idea of gamifying wildlife spotting motivated Rudkins to create the Naturedex. Inspired by the Pokemon franchise, Rudkins, who now works for the Credit Valley Conservation Authority in Mississauga, created a nature guide that featured 151 different species from the Toronto area (the same number of species in the original Pokemon series).

“For this, I used species you could spot within 30 kilometres of Toronto’s city hall, which ends up being Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, and Vaughan,” she says.

On the Naturedex is a picture of each species with several stats, including whether they’re endangered, how difficult it is to spot the species, and which season you’re most likely to see them.

Each species’ endangered status is based on published lists from the Toronto and Credit Valley Conservation Authorities. To communicate the status, Rudkins used emojis. “I thought that was a really easy way to get the message across,” she says.

If the species has a smiley face, it means they’re thriving in the Toronto area and aren’t a conservation concern. A frowning face means the species is at risk in urban areas. A sad face means the species is trending towards endangered. An angry face means the species is non-native to the area. And a neutral face means the conservation authorities have yet to rank the species’ endangered status.

When giving each species a difficulty ranking for observation, Rudkins used a star system, with one star being the least difficult to find and three stars being the most. She based the ranking on the citizen science platform iNaturalist, where users post photos of wildlife they’ve seen. A species with fewer photos meant a higher difficulty ranking.

“It ranged from like 5,000 to 6,000 observations for something like a monarch or a pigeon, all the way down to less than 50 for things like loons,” she says.

To use the Naturedex, Rudkins recommends printing the guide out and hanging it on a wall or fridge. You can then check off each species you see on the guide. Some of the more difficult species to spot include the bald eagle, common loon, and gray tree frog. Others, such as the trillium, can be difficult depending on the season. And the fish are tricky unless you spend a lot of time fishing.

Rudkins estimates that she saw about 120 of the species on the list last year. One of her favourites is the Virginia ctenucha moth. “I put it on the list in an attempt to demonstrate to people that not all moths are these little brown, uninteresting things. Months can actually be kind of cool looking,” she says. “It has these dark black wings and its shoulders are a vibrant, shiny blue, and its face is completely furry orange.”

If you decide to take the Naturedex challenge, Rudkins suggests using the app Seek to confirm your sightings. She also recommends the app Merlin, which can record and identify bird calls. “It’s a lot easier to see birds if you know what they are,” she says.

According to Rudkins, the two main rules of the Naturedex are to respect wildlife by not disturbing them and to have fun.

“My main intention was to use it as a way to lure people into an activity that I find interesting and valuable,” she says. “I want it to be a resource for people to start recognizing the things that are around them.”

Pokemon-inspired Game
Photo Courtesy of Natalie Rudkins

Categories
Cottage Life

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is poised to purchase and protect Batchawana Island

Private Islands Inc/Facebook

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is hoping to tap into the support of year-round residents and cottagers in Batchawana Bay to purchase and protect Lake Superior’s largest remaining privately-owned island. 

Mid-April, the land trust revealed an opportunity to acquire Batchawana Island for $7.2 million. The purchase will extinguish the threat of cottage lot and resort development, as well as logging on the twin-lobed, 2,076-ha island with 27 km of shoreline, and contribute to the NCC’s existing protected areas on Lake Superior. 

Local entrepreneur and long-time resident Frank O’Connor says the announcement is “such great news for the bay and all those who love this shore.” The view from O’Connor’s Voyageurs Lodge and Cookhouse, a popular waterfront attraction on the Trans-Canada Highway, is dominated by Batchawana Island’s sprawling form, which interrupts Lake Superior’s otherwise watery horizon. 

The purchase “preserves the area’s natural heritage,” adds O’Connor. “It leaves the island rugged and wild and respects the history of the Indigenous peoples who have lived and have burial sites there. So many reasons make this special place worthy of protection.”

Why Batchawana Island is worth saving

Besides being the focal point of Batchawana Bay, Batchawana Island supports an ancient maple forest that’s estimated to sequester 3,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of almost 450 households’ emissions. The island is home to moose, black bears, gray wolves, and at least 36 species of provincially significant birds, including rusty blackbirds and bald eagles. Its sandy offshore waters support spawning lake sturgeon, an endangered species. But until now, the island was held by an American landowner and zoned to accommodate various forms of development. 

“This is our best and possibly last chance to see this incredible island protected for the future,” says Kaitlin Richardson, the NCC’s northern Ontario program director. “The impact of conserving Lake Superior’s largest privately-owned island cannot be understated. The communities of plants and animals that rely on Batchawana Island are unique and precious. I can’t wait for the day when we can say they get to stay that way forever.”

How to help save Batchawana Island

Richardson says the conservancy has already raised 80 percent of the funds needed. With the deal set to close in early May, the NCC is seeking major gifts and launching a campaign in the local community to complete the fundraising. She says a plan for bridge financing is in place to extend the window for funding through the summer if the target isn’t reached by May 9.

The campaign will no doubt receive plenty of support from Batchawana Bay’s community of cottagers, who cherish island views, visit its sheltered coves by boat and kayak and have long worried about its future. “I am happy to know that Batchawana Island will remain wild,” says Tammy Story, a local cottager. “I have kayaked most of its diverse shoreline many times. There are some spots that are truly magical. It is a jewel that future generations will thank us for preserving.”

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