FOCA REPORT
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Ellen Reid
The Federation of Ontario Cottagers' Association (FOCA) speaks to, and on behalf of, the 250,000 waterfront property owners who live at the water in Ontario, either seasonally or year-round. Their members are 525 lake & road associations in rural communities across the province, including the MPOA.
The FOCA (Federation of Ontario Associations) Spring Seminar 2026 highlights strategies for managing waterfront properties and fostering community collaboration.
Key discussions emphasize building respectful partnerships with First Nations and implementing source water protection through septic maintenance and pollutant reduction. Experts also address the urgent need to identify aquatic invasive species and adapt to climate-change risks such as erosion and rising insurance costs. Property owners are encouraged to participate in municipal elections and formalize management strategies for private roads to ensure safety and legal compliance. Additionally, the seminar covers miscellaneous environmental advocacy, such as removing lead from fishing gear and protecting natural shorelines.
You can download the full summary of the spring FOAC seminar by going to
their website at https://www.foca.on.ca and registering under the MPOA
group.
Below, I have summarized the highlights:
1. Understanding Shared Values with First Nations Partners: Wise
Practices for Meaningful Relationship Building
Presenter: Kassandra McKeown, Cambium Indigenous Professional
Services
Her job is to reframe how we understand relationships and
responsibilities; the concepts of legal parenthood and the rights of
nature and land relationship visioning as a collaborative tool and
process.
Anyone looking to develop/renew a project should consult Kassandra
to help navigate the process.
You can access a digital toolkit online at
2. Developing a Drinking Water Source Water Protection Plan (SWP)
Presenter: Terry Rees and a panel
Urban water sources have an SWP that rural water sources do not. Each
The municipality is on its own. Rural water comes from surface sources
(lakes/streams) and groundwater (wells).
It is easy to test surface water for pollutants such as salt. You can test
well water, but you must consider the whole watershed to know how the wells are recharged.
Cottage associations must collaborate with municipalities and the area
businesses, promote septic inspections, limit salt application, educate fertilizer usage and promote well testing.
3. Beneath the Surface: Identifying Aquatic Invasive Plants
Presenter: Katie Church, Aquatic Invasive Plant Coordinator at Invasive Species Centre www.invasivespeciescenter.ca
Her topics included: What are aquatic invasive species? (AIS)
Impacts of AIS
Identifying AIS
Reducing pathways of spread
How to report AIS
Actions to take: Do not dump bait in waterways
Do not dump aquarium contents down the drain
Choose native species for ponds and shorelines
Clean, drain and dry watercraft between lakes
4. Municipal Elections (October 26, 2026)
Presenter: Murium Nur Vahed, Democratic Engagement Exchange, Community Engagement, Toronto Metropolitan University
Any renter/owner in a municipality can vote, but you must register as a voter. Go to your township website and fill out the registration form. You can then vote in person, online or by phone. Instructions for remote Voting will be sent to you by mid-October. If you want a councillor to know cottager concerns, you must vote.
5. Road Issues Survey (for privately maintained roads)
Presenter: Alan Reville, Co-chair of FOCA road issues committee, 3-member panel discussion https://foca.on.ca/road-issues
There are all sorts of concerns: a) should groups incorporate, have liability insurance, and write bylaws?
b) Is the road in compliance with local standards for emergency vehicles, such as width, clearance, or turnaround?
Considerations:
How to determine appropriate fees and develop strategies for collecting them.
How to deal with trespassers and dangerous driving.
Maintenance issues, such as culverts.
6. Climate Change and Cottage Country
Presenter: Dr Anabela Bonanda, Intact Centre on Climate Change, University of Waterloo
As temperatures increase, extreme weather events lead to fires, floods, and erosion. The costs of these events include out-of-pocket expenses. Such as rising insurance costs, denial of coverage, and decreasing property values. Shorelines are affected by storms, high water levels, and reduced ice cover. Remember, a cottage is never one property – it includes the shoreline, the whole lake, and the community.
Miscellaneous
a) MNR: a reminder that FOCA and MNR have many areas of overlapping concerns, such as invasive species, fire safety, restriction of floating homes, access over crown land and fish and wildlife.
b) Getting the lead out of fishing gear. Hand out the Get the Lead Out petition and get it signed at the AGM in July.
c) High-speed railroad needs vigorous consultation before construction begins.
d) The second edition of the FOCA GUIDE TO LAKE PLANNING for COMMUNITY GROUPS is available on the FOCA website.
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