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FEDERATIONOFONTARIOCOTTAGERSASSOCIATIONS11Ontarioborders4ofthe5GreatLakesandmanyFOCAmembershavepropertyontheGreatLakesorareaffectedbydevelopmentsontheGreatLakes.InApril2014theeighthCanada-OntarioAgreementCOAonGreatLakesWaterQualityandEcosystemHealthwaspostedindraftformforpubliccomment.COAisaprincipaltoolforOntarioandCanadatocoordinatetheirworktoaddressrespectiveandsharedcommitmentstoprotecttheGreatLakes.TheAgreementwillremaininforceforfiveyears.FOCAjoinedwithover20signatoriesfromCanadaandtheUSAtoprovidecommentsontheproposedCOAtothegovernmentsofOntarioandCanada.ReadtheremarksontheFOCAwebsitesearchGreatLakesstrategyUpdateGreatLakesStrategyWithsomechangesasrecommendedbyFOCAandotherstheMNRchangedtheworkpermitrequirementsforthefollowingactivitieseffectiveJanuary12014maintenancedredgingrelocationofrocksandorbouldersforboatingandswimmingaccessmechanicalremovalofnativeaquaticvegetationforswimmingorboatingaccessmechanicallyremovinginvasiveaquaticvegetationconstructionofbuildingsformineralexplorationanddevelopmentmaintenancerepairorreplacementofexistingerosioncontrolstructures.ProponentsarenolongerrequiredtoobtainworkpermitsfortheseactivitiesbutinsteadwillberequiredtovoluntarilycomplywithrulessetoutinregulationsunderthePublicLandsAct.Projectsthatdonotcomplywiththeproposedrulesstillrequireaworkpermit.Knowtherulesprotectyourlake.BackgroundWorkpermitsarearegulatorytoolusedbytheMNRtoNewPermitsforShorelineWorkCrownLandcontrolspecificactivitiesoccurringonpubliclandsincludingthebedsofmostnavigablewatersandshorelands.Thisincludesconstructingorplacingabuildingconstructingaroadtrailorwatercrossingdredgingorfillingshorelandsandtheremovalofaquaticvegetation.In2013MNRreleasedapolicypaperdescribinghowtheyplannedtomodernizetheirapprovalsprocessandremoveanumberofregulatorycontrolsincludingeliminatingtheneedforapprovalsfromMNRwhereanactivitywillhavelittleimpact.Theapproachinsteadreliesuponestablishingrulesthatmustbecompliedwith.ThesechangesarespecificallyrelatedtoOntarioRegulation23913andpermitsmadeunderthePublicLandsActActivitiesonPublicLandsandShoreLandsWorkPermitsandExemptions.FOCAexpressedconcernedthatthispermitbyruleapproachcouldreducetheprotectionsaffordedourimportantresources.FOCAandourmembersarecommittedtothesustainableuseandresponsibleoversightofourwaterfrontsandournaturalaquaticassets.Moreinformationisavailableonlineatwww.foca.on.casearchpermit.FormoreonthisandotherpolicytopicswatchtheFOCAwebsiteandgetontheFOCAElertlistforbreakingnews.