Townships Look at Short-Term Rental Rules Moffatt: Cottagers Ultimately Responsible for Properties
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Cottage Country DARK? Call GENERATOR SOLUTIONS and Building make sure the lights never go out. Supplies Talk to us about fi nancing. 15492 Highway #35. | Carnarvon | Ontario 705-489-2212 | [email protected] HOME OF THE HIGHLAND STORM TheHighlanderThursday January 19 2017 | Issue 271 INSIDE: DOG SLEDDING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS PAGES 22-23 FREE A different kind of surfing: A young snowboarder tears down the hill during the 2017 SO Speed Series SBX/SX race Jan. 15 at Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride. Turn to page 21 for more photos. Photo by Alex Coop. Townships look at short-term rental rules Moffatt: Cottagers ultimately responsible for properties By Alex Coop When he and his wife go back to their with flexibility, since he doesn’t rent the neighbours on the lake, and only rents to home in Toronto, they sometimes rent out cottage out on a regular basis. people he feels comfortable with. During a lengthy fire ban last summer, their cottage through Airbnb, an online “It’s the only way to defray the costs of Most of the time, the renters are young Highlands East cottager Douglas Roger marketplace that enables them to advertise owning a cottage,” Roger said. “We price couples with a dog. recalls paddling around Salerno Lake and their cottage on Salerno Lake. for two people with additional charges for Roger charges anywhere from $150-$250 telling people to put their fires out. The two make sure their renters every person beyond that. per night, depending on the time of the year. Many of them, he presumes, weren’t understand the rules and regulations that “And I’ve refused to rent to people.” Airbnb users can post reviews about from the area and were likely renting the come with the territory. He and his wife live in Toronto, but have renters, who can also post reviews of their neighbouring cottages. Finding renters is a simple process, Roger owned a cottage in the Highlands since own. Users with low reviews, or sometimes “Most of them told me to screw off says, and Airbnb provides the former 1995. no reviews, are cause for suspicion, says because they were on vacation,” Roger said. president of the Salerno Lake Association Roger hasn’t received complaints from Roger. NOW inSee Stock! ‘Creation’ on page 7 MINDEN Laminate Flooring - Huron Collection $1.99 SQ. FT. RENO SEASON (705)286-1351 16 Bobcaygeon Rd, Minden IS AHEAD! Maitland Perth Blyth CALL THE EXPERTS! T:10.25” 2 TheHighlander Thursday January 19 2017 | Issue 271 HighlanderAN OPENnews LETTER FROM HYDRO ONE. To Our Valued Customers: rates affordable. Moreover, we are I want to extend my warm pleased to announce the Ontario wishes for a happy New Year to Energy Board has authorized a you and your family. 2016 brought reduction in distribution delivery many changes to our company; charges for most residential we transitioned to being a public customers, effective January 2017. company and together with We are also committed to serving new leadership we are working you better. In the year ahead, we harder than ever to put our will be introducing a customer customers fi rst. service presence at local offi ces. We are redesigning your bill to I am very aware of the frustrations make it easier to understand. And many of you have expressed about we are reinforcing our service level the cost of your electricity. Your commitments (new connections Hydro One bill is made up of several within fi ve business days, no components. 51% pays for the missed appointments, call backs electricity generated by nuclear, within one business day) with a hydroelectric, gas, wind and solar $75 guarantee. companies. 12% goes to federal T:13.5” sales tax and other charges. For We are “Flipping the Switch” to customers who receive their power become the reliable and affordable directly from Hydro One and not electricity service provider you are through another local utility, the asking for. remaining 37%1 is payable to us To learn more, I encourage you to for the delivery of electricity – a visit HydroOne.ca/FliptheSwitch. responsibility we take very seriously. In addition, on February 16, my We proudly employ more than leadership team and I will be 5,000 Ontarians to deliver power at our call centre, listening and to over 1.3 million rural customers responding to customer questions. across 640,000 square kilometres. On behalf of the Hydro One Our team works tirelessly – often employees who live and work in around the clock and in hazardous your communities, we look forward weather and conditions – to ensure to serving you and wish you the that your power is there when you very best in the New Year. need it: safely, reliably and cost- effectively. Sincerely, So what are we doing to make things better for you? We are working hard at keeping Mayo Schmidt our own costs down and delivery PRESIDENT AND CEO 1Based on January 2017 rates for a typical medium density residential customer consuming 750 kWh per month. Ad Number: H1N_COR_P24632_Ad_Reach_FP_4C_B_REV1_4 Publication(s): Ad Reach This proof was produced This ad prepared by: SGL Communications • 2 Bloor St. West, Toronto, Ontario • phone 416.413.7495 • fax 416.944.7883 by the following department: File Location: SGL_A-M:Hydro One-H1N:2017:P67936 Open letter Newspaper:H1N_COR_P24632_Ad_Reach_FP_4C_B_REV1_4.indd PREPRESS JOB SPECIFICS FILE SPECIFICATIONS: PREMEDIA OPERATOR: FONTS & PLACED IMAGES SIGNOFFS: Client: Hydro One File Name: Operator: JF Family Style Creative Name: Open Letter Creative: H1N_COR_P24632_Ad_Reach_ INKS: Gotham Bold, Book, Book Italic, Black Agency Docket #: H1N COR P67936 FP_4C_B_REV1_4.indd Main Docket #: SHN COR P67936 Creation Date: 1-12-2017 9:55 PM Cyan File Name Colour Space Eff. Res (PPI) Production: Art Director: John Terry Last Modified: 1-13-2017 6:32 PM MAGENTA Hydro_one_CMYK.ai Copy Writer: Kurt Hagan Workstation: T14-0058 YELLOW Hydro_pole_house_alt.ai Premedia: Print Production: Jeff King InDesign Version: CC 2015 Mayo Photo in Office_cc_grd.psd CMYK 183 ppi BLACK Retoucher: Jano K App. Version: 11.4.1 Mayo_1200.tif Gray 2616 ppi Proofreading: Live: None Round #: 1 Page Count: 1 Trim: 10.25” x 13.5” GRAPHIC PRODUCTION: Account: Bleed: None Operator: Matt E Artwork Scale: 1:1 Correction: Jaya / Paul Client: R7 Print Scale: 100% Thursday January 19 2017 | Issue 271 TheHighlander 3 Energy Audits Home & Septic Inspections Thermal Imaging Robert Ramsdale Certifi ed Master Inspector ® Certifi ed Energy Advisor ® Highlander news www.indepth.energy Anyone Else Is Just Looking Around.® Minden tries to soften tax blow by using reserves Blake By Lisa Gervais money could be offset from reserves or O’Byrne borrowing. She also mentioned another Dipping into reserves and borrowing major project, the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Sales Representative money for major projects such as the Arena and community centre renewal proposed new fire hall appear to be the and how council will have to decide solution to a Minden Hills budget with 705-935-0011 how to fund that, suggesting it may be a increasing costs but stagnant revenue. debenture project in future. The township held its second round She said if council had no appetite to of budget talks Jan. 12 and is so far go above a six per cent increase, it has to sitting on an increase to taxpayers of look at reserves or debentures. FREE Property approximately six per cent. Coun. Pam Sayne said she was However, it became clear during the worried about a six per cent or higher meeting that council is now ready to tap rate increase and taxpayers’ ability to into reserves, which are estimated to be pay and said the provincial and federal Evaluation! about $7 million by the end of 2017. It government have to help. But Deputy also appears it will explore debenturing. Reeve Cheryl Murdoch said the days of You will get the full bene t of my big infrastructure dollars appear to be The reserves are over. 20 years of real estate experience. “The reserves are there for a reason. We there for a reason. We shouldn’t deplete them but waiting for shouldn’t deplete them the provincial and federal governments is You will receive professional advice but waiting for the not the right way to do business.” Overall, Reeve Brent Devolin said he and a customized marketing plan. provincial and federal thought council was on a sustainable governments is not path to protect its assets. He said they the right way to do knew they would be playing catch-up at budget time. Referring to a 14.6 per business.” cent increase in the roads budget so far You will be working with a in talks, he commented “it’s a struggle to recognized expert in the Cheryl Murdoch even get to that.” Deputy Reeve “To try to pick low numbers for short- Re/Max Hall of Fame. term satisfaction is not good planning. We directed staff to up to 6 or 6.5 per “We are healthy in reserves,” CAO/ cent. We expected it was going to shake A portion of every treasurer Lorrie Blanchard said when up around this. I think we’re being discussing the budget to date and some responsible and can talk and defend this. transaction is donated unbudgeted items, such as two crumbling I am happy to have the public see this bridges in the municipality as well as a level of detail. And, I know we’re not to Sick Kids Hospital. call for a community improvement plan. done yet.” Blanchard said she would also Blanchard said she is concerned investigate the debenturing process for about commercial tax revenue along things such as the new $2M fire hall Last but not least, Re/Max is the Highway 35 corridor since national proposed to be built in 2017.