June 21 is National Indigenous People’s Day, a day for all Canadians to honour and celebrate the legacy, diverse cultures and exceptional contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. In collaboration with Indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada chose June 21st, the summer solstice and the longest day of the year, in recognition of its cultural, historical, and spiritual significance. How will you mark the day? Commit to learning about the people who’s traditional territory we live on. Here are some great resources: Shawanaga First Nation has an interesting history of The First Peoples of Georgian Bay Georgian Bay Biosphere has an extensive collection of resources for cultural learning Learn more about the Anishinabek Nation Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action and look for ways to bring action to reconciliation Find a local event you can attend to honour the day Plan a visit to a local Indigenous organization, Friendship Centre, or Museum Watch a film from the National Film Board of Canada’s catalog of Indigenous-created films Listen to an Indigenous-created podcast Read an Indigenous-authored book or find an Indigenous-authored children’s book to share with any young ones in your life Plan a visit to a local Pow Wow this summer Support an Indigenous business National Indigenous Peoples Day is a great time to learn more about the cultural diversity and the contributions of Indigenous Peoples. Learning about Indigenous people, places and experiences is a step we can take towards reconciliation.
Don't Miss Your Chance to Be Heard! The survey closes on July 21, 2025. Take the survey now and help shape the future of our Bay: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TSLPY8Q Share with Your Family and Friends Let's make our voices heard and work together to protect and preserve our lakes. Take the survey and share it with those who matter to you! See the results of the 2021 Your Lakes, Your Views survey here. We're excited to share the launch of the fourth edition of the Your Lakes, Your Views survey from Safe Quiet Lakes! This year's survey is a crucial step in understanding the experiences of those who enjoy our beautiful Bay. Why This Survey Matters The Safe Quiet Lakes survey takes place every four years and focuses on what you value most about your cottage experience. The insights from these surveys lead to a better understanding of the activities, issues and concerns of lake users in the region. By participating, you’ll have a direct impact on shaping the future of our lakes and boating experience. Georgian Bay-Specific Data This is the second time Georgian Bay has been included in the survey, and we're eager to gather more data specific to our region. The results have already led to concrete legislative impacts on issues like wakes and boat noise, and your participation will help drive further positive change. Share your thoughts on the top pleasures of the lake experience, boating use and behaviour, and the quality of the lake experience Voice your concerns and suggest solutions to issues affecting our lakes Help inform GBA committee plans, organizational programs, and policy development with all layers of government and law enforcement Take the Survey Now! The survey can be easily accessed from any device and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.
The Lake Partner Program (LPP), a vital water quality monitoring initiative, is at risk due to the impending end of its 5-year agreement with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP). Despite its immense value to the public and Ontario, a new agreement has not been confirmed, putting the program's future in jeopardy. The LPP is a volunteer-based water quality monitoring program that helps track the health of Ontario's lakes. The program relies on the dedication of 629 volunteer Lake Stewards who monitored 546 lakes at 917 sites across the province in 2024. However, the program needs Ministry-backed lab testing and coordination support to function. With nearly three decades of effort invested, the program's collapse would leave lake associations and waterfront advocates without essential insights to protect Ontario's lakes. Act now to ensure the continuation of this vital program! The Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Associations (FOCA) is calling on the Ontario government to confirm a new 5-year agreement for the LPP. Visit FOCA's website to access a letter template and more information.
GBA is seriously concerned about the effect of Bill 5, Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, a sweeping omnibus bill aimed at opening mining opportunities in Ontario's Ring of Fire. This bill will make massive changes to the requirements for protecting endangered species and archaeological sites in the province. Bill 5 empowers the Ontario government to designate “special economic zones” which are exempted from provincial laws and municipal by-laws to expedite development.
What's at stake?
If passed, this legislation will:
Repeal the provincial Endangered Species Act and replace it with the much weaker Species Conservation Act, 2025
Allow development to begin immediately after online registration rather than after environmental review
Transfer responsibility for listing protected species to the cabinet, rather than the expert Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario, and eliminate requirements for Ontario to review recovery and stewardship for protected species
Alter the Ontario Heritage Act to allow cabinet to exempt development projects from archaeological assessments, which play a role in preserving Indigenous history and culture
These changes would allow the government to prioritize development over environmental protection and local decision-making, putting our most vulnerable species and ecosystems at risk.
What You Can Do
Submit Your Comment: the bill is open for public comment until May 17. Tell the government that Ontario's species, water, and future deserve better.
Send an email to your MPP: using our DoGooder site, you can send an email to your MPP asking them to stop Bill 5. It only takes a few mintes to send the email and sharing your unique perspective and experiences will make a significant impact! Send an email here.
A recent Cottage Life Mar/Apr '25 article, "If cormorants aren’t actually bad for the ecosystem, can we bear to let them exist?", highlights the complexities of human-wildlife conflict and asks readers to rethink our wildlife acceptance capacity. GBA President, Liz Phillips, was interviewed for the piece and emphasized the "need to learn to live with the natural behaviour of wildlife that can survive in our human-dominated environment." Double-crested cormorants, once vilified as an invasive species, are actually native to Ontario. Their population decline in the 1960s and '70s was due to toxic chemicals like DDT, but they've made a remarkable recovery. Despite scientific evidence showing they don't significantly impact native fish populations, a government-sanctioned hunt was introduced in 2020. GBA has advocated cancelling the cormorant hunt due to concerns about public safety, environmental harm, and lack of scientific justification. The birds are not edible, and rotting carcasses threaten bald eagles, other wildlife, and water quality. Cormorants are valuable allies in maintaining the delicate ecological balance on the Bay. GBA will continue to advocate for evidence-based conservation and responsible stewardship for these misunderstood birds. Read the full Cottage Life article here. You can also learn more about GBA's position on the cormorant hunt here.
I’m reaching out to personally invite you to be part of something truly special—the 18th Annual Walk, Run, Pole in support of the WPSHC Foundation. And yes, we brought the original name back! For nearly two decades, this event has been a beloved tradition, bringing our community together in the spirit of fitness, fun, and philanthropy. We are still going strong with the hybrid format that allows participants to walk, run, pole, run, bike, kayak (move the way YOU want!) all May long while fundraising for the health centre. The grand finale? A 5KM Community Celebration Event on June 1st at the Stockey Centre in Parry Sound—a chance to celebrate our collective efforts to keep advanced health care local. Why have I been the Event Chair for 5 years? For over 60 years, our family spent summers at our Lake Rosseau cottage, never giving much thought to local hospital care—until June 2015. When my husband fell gravely ill, his survival depended on the exceptional care at West Parry Sound Health Centre’s ICU. Though I had long supported the Foundation, that experience made us truly grateful patients. Now, our family is more committed than ever to giving back and ensuring others have access to the same life-saving care. Help keep advanced surgical care here in Parry Sound. This year, your participation will directly support much-needed surgical care upgrades. We are amidst a $1.1 million upgrade project, ensuring that surgical care remains safe, efficient, and local. We are in the final stages and your participation in our event will help us get to the finish line! How to join, help & influence others: Sign up your association as a team and/or Forward this notice to your members take part in this incredible initiative Leaders, like you, can be the backbone. You help raise money, but you also spread the word. Let’s make the 18th year our most successful yet! Looking forward to seeing you on the trail and at the finish line! Brett Lagamba 2025 Chair, Walk, Run, Pole
2024 Ontario Wildfire Statistics: We were fortunate. In 2024, the wildfire season started lowly with a wet spring and summer. Ontario saw a total of 480 wildland fires affecting 89,841 hectares across the province, which was well below the previous year and the ten-year average. In comparison, 2023 saw 741 wildland fires that affected 441,474 hectares across the province. The ten-year average is 694 wildland fires and 201,781 hectares affected. Regional breakdown: Statistical differences between the Northeast Region and Northwest Region in 2024: Total number of wildland fires by region Northwest Region – 218 fires, Northeast Region – 261 fires Total hectares burned by region Northwest Region – 69,938 hectares Northeast Region – 19,903 hectares The Ontario government has geared up for the 2025 wildland fire season, which runs from April 1 to October 31. To protect communities and resources, they’ve made significant investments in firefighting capacity. Key Investments: Nearly 100 new permanent positions to support fire season operations $64 million investment in the wildland fire program, funding equipment and technology, including: Forest fire suppression equipment Emergency management software Fuel systems and trucks Four additional medium helicopters contracted to support fire suppression, bringing the total to 13 These efforts aim to safeguard Ontario’s 90 million hectares of Crown land and keep communities safe. With enhanced leadership and experience within the wildland fire program, Ontario is better equipped to respond to the challenges of the 2025 fire season. Remember Ontario’s Outdoor Burning Regulations Are in Effect In Ontario’s fire zone, you must follow Ontario’s Outdoor Burning Regulations to have an outdoor fire. By law, you need a fire permit to burn wood, brush, leaves and grass outside during the fire season (April 1 – October 31) unless you follow all the rules outlined below and: conditions allow it to burn safely until extinguished you take all necessary steps to tend, control and extinguish the fire you are not having an open fire in a restricted fire zone If you don’t burn safely or burn material without a permit when one is needed, you can be fined and held responsible for the cost of putting out the fire and for any property damage. Collectively we can reduce the chance of wildfires by respecting the fire danger ratings and follow the rules associated with that level of danger. To that end, GBA posts a weekly fire danger rating every Thursday to alert you to the risks are in your area. Additional Resources GBA’s Fireproof your Life has some great resources and tips sheets to help mitigate the risk of fire at your cottage. Get more information on fire and fire prevention here. Learn how the ministry manages wildland fires (grass, brush and forest fires) in Ontario here. Learn how to prevent fires while enjoying the great outdoors here. This web post is intended for general information purposes only. While we have attempted to provide information that is helpful for our readers, GBA accepts no legal liability for the contents of this web post. Ensure you check original sources of information on municipal and provincial burning regulations for further details and updates.
Killbear is looking for seasonal Park Maintenance Workers to join the Parks team. Job Opportunity: Park Maintenance Worker Location: Killbear Provincial Park, Nobel, Ontario Salary: $22.86 - $24.66 per hour (as per the OPSEU Collective Agreement) Term: Temporary, seasonal (up to 29 weeks per year, from April to November) Position ID: 226224 Do you enjoy working outdoors? Do you have experience with maintenance, landscaping, or operating small powered equipment? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join our team at Killbear Provincial Park as a Park Maintenance Worker! About the Role: As a Park Maintenance Worker, you will play a vital role in maintaining the park’s grounds and facilities. Your responsibilities will include supervising maintenance staff, performing groundskeeping duties, operating various powered equipment, and ensuring the park facilities are in top shape for visitors. You'll also be involved in minor repairs and ensuring the park remains safe and welcoming for everyone. Key Duties: Supervise maintenance staff and provide leadership Perform groundskeeping and general maintenance of the park Operate and repair equipment like tractors, riding lawnmowers, chainsaws, and hand tools Collect garbage and maintain cleanliness and sanitation in park facilities Inspect facilities for security and damage, and report any issues Enforce park rules and regulations, addressing concerns and complaints from visitors What We’re Looking For: A valid Class “G” driver’s license or equivalent Ability to obtain a valid emergency first aid certificate Willingness to work shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays Knowledge of maintenance and sanitation practices for buildings and facilities Experience with powered equipment like lawnmowers and chainsaws Strong communication and interpersonal skills for working with team members, contractors, and park visitors Organizational skills to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines Why Work With Us? This is a fantastic opportunity to work outdoors in a beautiful setting and contribute to maintaining a valuable community resource. If you're passionate about the environment and enjoy hands-on work, this job could be perfect for you! To Apply: If you meet the qualifications and are interested in joining our team, click here to submit your application. Please note that applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis and this posting may close at any time. Join us in making Killbear Provincial Park a great place for everyone to enjoy! If you have any questions, please get in touch with Matt Gibson or Adam Thomson. Matt Gibson | Park Superintendent | Killbear Provincial Park – Ontario Parks 35 Eddie Ramsay Parkway, Nobel, Ontario P0G 1G0 P: 705 746 0737 OntarioParks.com
