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We’ll sit for hours in the car for it, we’ll deal with annoying family members to be able to afford it, we’ll work tirelessly to keep a building that desperately wants to fall apart standing. Cottaging. It’s not just magic, it’s science!
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Most cottagers would probably tell you that being fashionable at the lake isn’t their chief concern. That didn’t stop The Globe and Mail from suggesting a $4,754 ensemble in “15 Ways to Refine Your Away-For-the-Weekend Wardrobe,” in 1995. At the time, we countered with our own, much more realistic cottager getup, grand total $58.94. But what would the Globe recommend today? And what ‘fits are we actually rocking? Click the image to find out how we answered both questions, and swipe right to see what cottagers are really wearing.
Check out the original in our Nov/Dec ’96 issue.
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By Danita Delimont/Shutterstock
BirdLife International recently released its “State of the World’s Birds” report and it doesn’t look good for our feathered friends. Although conservation efforts have been attributed to the rebound of waterfowl and wetland birds like geese and ducks to the tune of about 150 per cent since the 1970s, overall, half of the world’s bird species are in decline, with one in eight facing extinction.
Birds Canada has been contributing vital data to the report, published every four years, and the information could ultimately save our birds.
“People feel like they can’t make a difference… and they can,” says Andrew Couturier, the senior director for landscape science and conservation with Birds Canada.
Canada also publishes our own “State of Canada’s Birds” report, most recently in 2019, which dials down our domestic bird issues, taking into consideration Canada can’t claim exclusive title to many birds, given their migration to other areas to winter or breed. An amazing 66 per cent of the trends concluded in the report came from volunteer citizen scientists, who populated data for breeding bird atlases, the Christmas Bird Count and eBird Canada checklists. In a world where information is power, it’s the monitoring of the numbers that informs the identification of threats, and where action would be most beneficial. Specifically, the establishment of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), key spots where birds may breed, feed, winter or gather while migrating, are designated with this species and location specific information.
8 ways to help birds during the fall migration
Those IBAs consider the needs of, and risks to, bird species, according to their specific habits. For instance, birds reliant on Canada’s native grasslands have declined a dramatic 87 per cent since 1970. The biggest reason? The increase in crop agriculture. But what volunteer led data showed was that cattle farmers may provide a solution, at least for some species. “Due to the conversion to agriculture in their breeding grounds, there’s hardly any habitat left. But now we have budding relationships with cattle ranchers, whose pastures mimic grassland habitat,” says Couturier. “When ranching is done properly, there’s a high diversity of other creatures as well.”
Hurricane Fiona’s devastation to Nova Scotia, P.E.I., and Newfoundland, whose intensity may be attributed to climate change, could be an example of what Canada’s shorebirds and seabirds are facing. Canada’s bird report states our shorebirds have declined by 40 per cent, but seabirds have been devastated with 55 of 58 species now of conservation concern. Couturier worries that Fiona may have destroyed vital habitat. “Our shorebirds aren’t there now, but when they come back, they may have no beach to breed on.” Monitoring birds that historically bred in these areas will be especially vital in the next few years.
Excepting species like the evening grosbeak that depend on the seeds and fruit of Canada’s mature forests (forest crop specialists have declined by 39 per cent), the rest of the 20 per cent of forest birds that stay in Canada during the winter have increased by 34 per cent. Unfortunately, those that migrate to South America have declined by 31 per cent. One of the actions Couturier recommends for those that migrate is buying bird friendly coffee. “Most coffee is from clear-cuts.” For birds who winter here, Canadians can advocate to save our mature trees and forests, limit pesticide use, and help to establish IBAs and networks of protected areas.
Help winter wildlife with tips from Hope for Wildlife
Pesticide use is also a big factor in the world’s reduction of insects, including pollinators. Birds like nighthawks, barn swallows, and bluebirds that feed by catching insects while flying, all once so plentiful their names included the words “common”, have decreased in numbers in Canada by 59 per cent since the 1980s. The signal this depletion sends is as relevant to humans as when coal miners used canaries.
But Couturier still believes that since we’ve turned the tide for endangered birds before, we can again, especially since data informs us now of where best to focus are efforts via the IBA’s. “If we make the case to landowners that have been doing something right or special…we’ll be helping landowners to steward. There are so many people that practice bird feeding, that are clearly interested in birds, but only a small proportion join in the programs.”
The IBAs have been so successful, they inspired KBAs, or Key Biodiversity Areas that encompass all forms of biodiversity. “We always knew that IBAs were bigger than birds,” says Couturier.
It’s hard to argue with the facts. According to the “State of the World’s Birds” report, between 21 and 32 bird species would have gone extinct sometime between 1993 and now, if it hadn’t been for conservation efforts.
The rebound of waterfowl and wetland birds, and the increase of about 110 per cent of birds of prey such as bald eagles and ospreys, are also greatly accredited to data led investment in conservation and cooperative stewardship of their habitats.
Why bald eagle populations have bounced back
Canada’s federal government is among many that has set a goal to protect 30 per cent of land and seas by 2030, and are increasingly using Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas and the newer KBA designation to target the areas that will get the best results. According to Couturier, as of now about 17 per cent of that target has been met.
If we put the same amount of effort into saving our shore, grassland, and aerial insectivore birds, as we did with waterfowl, wetland, and birds of prey, what could we accomplish?
Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock/John Fader
Eighteen years ago, the provincial government removed the District Municipality of Muskoka from Northern Ontario. Today, the community is looking for avenues to rejoin.
During the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa this past August, delegates from Muskoka, which includes the towns of Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, and others, presented Ontario’s Minister of Northern Development, Greg Rickford, with reasons why the community should rejoin Northern Ontario.
“I was pleased by the response we received,” says John Klinck, Muskoka’s district chair. “Of course, it’s a bad time right now with the municipal election cycle upon us, and the provincial government has its hands full in so many other areas, but it’s just something that, collectively, the mayors of Muskoka and their councils and our community believe should be addressed.”
In 2004, under Premier Dalton McGuinty, the provincial government removed Muskoka’s Northern Ontario designation in the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation Act and the Northern Services Board Act, limiting the community’s government funding.
“Because of the fiscal challenges left by the previous government, our government had to make some difficult decisions,” said Rick Bartolucci, Ontario’s previous Minister of Northern Development and Mines, in a statement released at the time of the decision. “We need to ensure resources earmarked for northern communities are in fact directed accordingly, rather than areas outside of what is traditionally known to be Northern Ontario.”
Klinck, however, says the decision was motivated by petty politics. “The minister at the time was based in Sudbury, and he got it in his mind that if he removed Muskoka, there would be more money available for communities in the north,” he says. “What [the provincial government] really needs to do is recognize—as it claims to be doing—that northern/rural communities, be they in the north or in the south, need some help.”
The provincial government transferred Muskoka from Northern Ontario to Southern Ontario without consulting officials in the area, Klinck says. “It was just a line item sort of buried in a budget.” By stripping Muskoka of its designation, the area lost access to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, a provincial government corporation that helps stimulate economic growth in northern communities by providing financial assistance.
Instead, Muskoka has spent the last 18 years competing for funding in Southern Ontario among major urban centres, including Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Windsor, and others.
“There’s this perception of Muskoka as the land of the rich and famous,” Klinck says. That may be true of some seasonal residents, he adds, but Muskoka’s permanent residents struggle.
Klinck points out that Muskoka’s economy tends to be seasonal, catering to cottagers and tourists in the summer. “A lot of folks just don’t have work in the winter,” he says. The area’s population also has a disproportionate number of citizens over the age of 65 (28 per cent), compared to the rest of the province (18 per cent), putting an added strain on Muskoka’s healthcare system.
And real estate prices in the area have skyrocketed in the last two years, making it difficult for permanent residents to buy homes. This year, the median price of a non-waterfront property in Muskoka was $790,000, versus $337,000 in 2018, according to the district.
“We’re really having a tough time,” Klinck says.
Surprisingly, the pandemic applied a temporary salve to Muskoka’s woes, drawing young people to the area. “If they have decent internet, they can work from anywhere. And that provides another measure of disposable income that moves its way through a community,” Klinck says.
But as borders reopen and more jobs move back to in-person work, it will be difficult for Muskoka to retain these new citizens. By rejoining Northern Ontario, Muskoka would gain access to additional funding, allowing it to attract more business opportunities, and keep young people in the area.
Under the federal government, Muskoka is considered part of Northern Ontario. As a result, it receives funding from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor), the federal government’s financial assistance agency for northern communities.
“It doesn’t make sense to me,” Klinck says of the discrepancy between the two levels of government. What’s even stranger, he points out, is that when the provincial government stripped Muskoka of its designation, it split the district’s political riding. The area’s MPP represents both Parry Sound and Muskoka. But Parry Sound is still considered part of Northern Ontario, while everywhere below is considered Southern Ontario. “It puts our local MPP…in a very awkward position,” Klinck says. “I mean, one-third of their constituents have more opportunities than the other two-thirds.”
There’s been no word from the Ministry of Northern Development about Muskoka’s status, but Klinck says he hopes the current government will let them rejoin.
From his perspective, Muskoka’s always been a part of Northern Ontario. “As soon as you drive up Hwy. 400 from Toronto, or you cross the Muskoka line from Simcoe County, and suddenly everything changes. The granite outcroppings pop up, there are beautiful tree canopies, and a proliferation of lakes and streams,” he says. “But on the social side, Muskoka suffers.”
The Ministry of Northern Development did not respond to comment on Muskoka’s chances of rejoining Northern Ontario.
The world has changed a bit since Cottage Life was founded in 1987. Click through the timeline to take a trip down memory lane with us in honour of our 35th anniversary!
Illustration by Katie Hicks
We asked readers, Cottage Life staffers, and our social media followers: what’s the best thing that you’ve learned from Cottage Life?
1. Embrace it all
I’ve learned great maintenance tips for each season, and I like the puttering projects that everyone can try. The recipes are good for quick, hearty meals, and I appreciate the local dining and bakery recommendations. Above all, it makes me appreciate that we are all blessed with the beauty that surrounds us.—Andy Lamovsek
2. It’s a family affair
Family cottaging can be a real pain in the butt.—Gianni Cirilli
3. Some jobs are sneaky
I have to get my chimney cleaned!—Kathy Thomsen
4. Repurpose what you have
I loved the tip on how to fill a bucket with water by using a broom pan.—Chris Fox
5. Let it be
We always wanted to change the shoreline at our cottage, as we worried about erosion. We read in CL it is best to leave it alone!—Vicki Archambault
6. Rack ’em up
I learned how to build a kayak stand.—Rhonda Lennox
7. Chips are important
While researching potato chip history, I discovered that the inventor of the Pringles can was buried in one. Not all of him, obviously, just a portion of his cremains.—Jackie Davis, Senior Editor
8. Have a sense of humour
I don’t know if it is something I learned, but my favourite story was a family who had ungrateful guests complaining about things they had no control over. The hosts got the dog to lick the plates clean and put them in the cupboard. When the guests suddenly left sooner than planned, they laughed and got the dishes out and washed them.—Beth Hayhoe
9. Industry secrets
I’ve learned where to find the best butter tarts!—Martie Whitaker
10. Sage advice
Don’t let your subscription run out.—Gayle Wouters
11. Be prepared for anything
I had to ask a source for “Game of Thrones” (Mar/Apr ’21) whether he stood or sat to pee on his alternative toilet. I learned more than I wanted to that day.
—Marie Waine, Assistant Editor
12. Foodie faves
I collected many keepers from the recipe contest. Please bring it back!—Katie Maloney-Buchanan
13. Stay hydrated
I like the water filtration and winterizing tips.—Evelyn Chisamore
14. Maintain your stuff
Deck maintenance is so important. I have always cleaned between the cracks with a fine tool, such as a steak knife, as seeds sprout and compromise the wood’s integrity. My decks are 35 years old and only a few boards have been replaced.—Norma McNaughton
15. Nature is wild
I loved learning that when grouse make their motorcycle-starting sounds, they do it by moving their wings back and forth so fast that they form a vacuum, which creates mini sonic booms. It’s actually breaking the sound barrier. Whaaat?—Liann Bobechko, Deputy Editor
16. Off-grid options
The article on alternative toilets was very informative. (“Game of Thrones,” Mar/Apr ’21)—Shelley Fire
17. Keep records
Have guests sign a book. Ours is full of memories!—Jola Ruta
18. Bacon makes it better
Wrap pork tenderloin in bacon.—Tom Mara
19. Try new things
I’ve appreciated all the info about renting.—Robert Mann
20. Nature finds a way
There’s so much hormonal pee involved in animal mating strategies, which I learned while fact checking “Nature Swipes Right,” (Early Summer ’18). There’s only so long you can remain professional asking experts about “copulating” while your co-workers are giggling at the next desk over.—Alysha Vandertogt, Senior Associate Editor
21. Sharing is caring
I liked reading about how to share the cottage, the tips for entertaining, and discovering why we get lost.—Louise Keevil
22. Age = experience
I’ve grown right along with you. Your first decade, you helped me dream about cottage ownership as we rented. The second decade, you taught, informed, and influenced what we did at our cottage. Now, into the third decade, your content is still delightful, but I have learned and failed so much on my own that I can say, “All hell, I could have written that!”—Karyn Klaire Koski
23. Get outside
I love the recipes about cooking in tinfoil over a campfire.—Gail H.
24. You can do it yourself
The DIY projects are my favourite!—Darlene O’Neill
25. You’ll learn stuff
There are ice worms that live many kilometres beneath the frozen tundra. I once spoke for two hours with an expert who spent his whole life studying them. He was very keen to talk, which made me think that ice worms are vastly under-covered by media. It was fascinating. Not the worms necessarily, but realizing how passionately people get into things. The most obscure things!—Michelle Kelly, Editor
26. Community is important
Cottage Life fans are everywhere, which I learned when I was at a friend’s wedding, and two women approached to ask me for a photo.—Adam Holman, Cottage Coach
27. Use vertical space
I loved the suggestion about using wall attachments to hang life jackets and deck cushions.—Linda Mara
28. Live a rustic life
We appreciated the tips on how to open and close our water system with an old pump. And how to keep mice out—use steel wool!—Lynn Band
29. Add more storage
I learned how to build a shed.—Vivian Geneski
30. Some truths are…ugly
I found out from Cottage Q&A that red squirrels are cannibals.—Megan McPhaden, Managing Editor
31. Unplug the router
Even if you have good Wi-Fi at the cottage, it doesn’t always mean you should use it. Sometimes, it’s important to be completely present and enjoying your surroundings device-free.—Roxy Kirshenbaum, Editor, Cottage Life Digital
32. Be proactive
I read, “If your cottage is surrounded by trees—look up.” We’ve taken down a few trees that could have fallen on our cottage.—Ann Mittag
33. Take it easy
You suggested using an eco-toilet grey water system. It’s handy and very low maintenance.—Violette Sarkozy
34. Start small
When my father passed, upkeep of our property fell to me. The three cottages needed repairs, and I didn’t know where to start. I picked up an issue with a cartoon of a fellow worrying about the work he needed to do on his property. The Old Man of the Lake came and asked which job was needed most. The owner said his dock. The Old Man shoved a piece of lumber into the cribbing and said, “That will hold for this year.” A light went on for me. Do the immediate, and plan for the rest. It was my sanity saver.—Kevin McKee
35. Stick to the basics
How to have fun.—Avery
Keep these memories coming! Share with us on social, or email letters@cottagelife.com.
Throughout our history, covers have transported readers to the lake, no matter where they are. Which one is your favourite?
Photo by Shutterstock/Alwin Lee
Two children have died after an ATV drove into a pond west of Miles Road in the south end of Hamilton, Ont. Shortly after 4 p.m. on Saturday evening, Hamilton police responded to a call about a submerged ATV with children trapped inside.
According to police, a 35-year-old Hamilton man was driving through a field with his eight-year-old daughter and six-year-old son in a side-by-side ATV—a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle enclosed with a metal roll cage—when the vehicle entered a pond.
Police say the pond was nine metres deep. The vehicle quickly sank to the bottom. The man driving was able to extricate himself from the enclosed vehicle but was unable to free his daughter or son.
With the help of a nearby neighbour, the man was able to call emergency services. Hamilton Fire, EMS, and multiple police departments, including the Hamilton Police Service’s Marine Unit and the Peel Regional Police Dive Team, arrived at the scene.
The children were located and removed from the pond. After attempting life-saving measures, emergency services took the children to McMaster Children’s Hospital in critical condition. Both children died later that night in the hospital.
“We are heartbroken over this tragic incident,” wrote Hamilton Police Service superintendent Treena MacSween on Twitter. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, [and] first responders during this difficult time.”
Police are still investigating how the ATV ended up in the pond but have ruled out alcohol as a contributing factor. According to police, the number of fatal traffic accidents has now risen to 20 in Hamilton this year.
Police have asked anyone with information about the accident to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 905-546-4753.
Featured Video
By givaga/Shutterstock
In recent years, countless communities across Canada have implemented their own sets of short-term rental bylaws in an effort to reign in what some consider a loosely regulated industry. These regulations are typically handled at the municipal level, meaning they come in a wide range of different shapes and sizes. With so many different sets of regulations in place, it can be difficult to know exactly what rules are relevant for those looking to operate their own rental unit.
To help you navigate the maze of short-term rental regulations, we’ve compiled a list of some common and not-so-common bylaws and rules that should be on your radar if you’re at all interested in renting. Check with your local municipality to see exactly what rules are in place before renting out your property, but keep these in mind as you do:
Licencing Programs
Licensing programs have seemingly become the standard method of regulating short-term rentals. In many areas, you simply can’t operate a short-term rental property without a licence. These programs are typically used as the basis for other forms of regulation—they’re a way for local governments to account for the amount of renters in the area, ensure safety standards, and track other bylaw violations.
Here are a few common elements of licencing programs, that vary widely by community:
Property Standards
Property standards are incredibly common and are typically in place to ensure a degree of safety for renters and owners. Property inspections are frequently a mandatory step in obtaining a licence, but the minimum standards vary by municipality. Here are some common requirements you should be on the lookout for:
Zoning Requirements
Some communities have placed restrictions on the types of buildings and areas of the community that can be rented. For instance, the township of Seguin placed a ban on waterfront rentals, Sarnia banned residentially zoned rental units, and Collingwood prohibited the operation of none bed-and-breakfast style short-term rentals (units where the owners live in the building alongside their guests are considered bed-and-breakfast style rentals). Be sure to check how your property is zoned in case there are any local bylaws that restrict your ability to rent.
Emergency contacts
Many bylaws state that short-term rental owners must have an emergency contact who can be reached in emergency situations. In some places, these contacts only need to be reachable by phone, but in others, emergency contacts must be able to attend the rental property within a certain time frame (commonly, in under an hour), which often poses a logistical challenge for out-of-town rental operators who live far from their units.
Rental Periods
Most short-term rental bylaws place a cap on the amount of consecutive days a unit can be rented in order to be considered a short-term rental—this is typically around 28 days. Units rented beyond that period are often no longer considered a short-term rental. Recently, the Township of Tiny drafted a bylaw which would place a limit on the amount of days units can be rented.
Penalty System
The enforcement of short-term rental regulations will also vary depending on your community’s bylaws. Some municipalities enforce regulations through standard fines. Others have systems in place that escalate penalties for repeat offenders, often meaning the more offences a short-term rental owner commits, the higher their fines will be. It’s important to understand your municipality’s enforcement system as the level of punishment ranges anywhere from the issuing of minor fines, to the revoking of a licence.
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What is it that makes some people so hard to buy things for? Every year, there you are at the last minute, searching for something that’s special enough. This year do your future self a favour by picking out one of these deals on great options from the Amazon Prime Early Access Sale. Just don’t forget where you hid it.
Photo by Rostislav Stefanek/ Shutterstock
This past summer, scuba divers in Sudbury discovered an unlikely form of aquatic life in the city’s Ramsey Lake. In late August, diving instructor Jason Fox captured a video of jellyfish, marking the first time the invasive species has been documented in Ontario outside of the Great Lakes. In a video, translucent, dime-sized craspedacusta sowerbii jellyfish pulsate with tentacles suspended in the water column.
“It’s a crazy story and it’s received a lot of attention,” says John Gunn, Canada Research Chair in biology at Sudbury’s Laurentian University and the director of the Vale Living With Lakes Centre. “Jellyfish are usually thought of as marine species. People find it remarkable to learn that we have them here in freshwater.”
Fox told CBC that he “basically stopped counting” jellyfish after three weekend dives in Ramsey Lake, estimating to have seen 50 or more on September 11. His photos and video is the first evidence of jellyfish in Ramsey Lake, but Gunn suspects they’ve been around for perhaps a decade or more. Craspedacusta sowerbii, which is native to China’s Yangtze River, arrived in North America in the 1930s. “It likely came in ships’ ballast water or as part of the aquarium plants trade,” Gunn explains. “It is yet another example of the many species that have joined North American flora and fauna due to human movements.”
How to avoid spreading invasive species in lakes
The scientific literature suggests the freshwater jellyfish found in Ramsey Lake are innocuous. They eat microscopic phytoplankton in the water column, haven’t been linked to any adverse ecological effects, and swimmers don’t need to worry about the toxic stingers of some marine jellyfish. “They’re elegant and mesmerizing,” adds Gunn. “Divers and swimmers will really enjoy watching them in the water.”
Still, Gunn says the discovery is another cautionary tale of invasive species. “They aren’t like silver carp,” he notes, referencing the oversized exotic fish that have taken over waterways in the southern United States. Gunn hopes jellyfish in Ramsey Lake serve as a reminder of the ways humans have transported plants and animals all around the globe. “When you look at the lake,” he says, “realize that you’re glimpsing into a whole sea of biota that’s made its way here from elsewhere.
“We don’t have any specific concerns with jellyfish, but we do have to worry about others,” Gunn adds. “Stuff gets moved around in bait buckets and on motorboats. Humans are the vectors of countless nuisance species. We have to be extra cautious.”