No Parking, No parking on streets at access points

Hello All,

Not sure if this has been posted yet but If you are a non resident ice angler on Lake Simcoe you might want to give this a read. I strongly recommend if you enjoy ice fishing on Lake Simcoe and would like to continue, please send a email to the townships around the lake!……apps

ATTENTION LAKE SIMCOE ANGLING COMMUNITY. EVEN GREATER NON RESIDENT PARKING RESTRICTIONS AROUND THE LAKE ARE EXPECTED THIS WINTER! COVID NOT TO BLAME. WE NEED YOUR HELP!

For Immediate Release:
Please accept this plea for greater public awareness and hopefully positive changes to our critical parking situation and lack of public access around Lake Simcoe.

If you are an angler, guide, social media influencer, ice hut operator, hotel or business owner, run a tackle shop or literally anyone connected to the fishing community within 200 sq kilometres of Lake Simcoe … this will likely affect you!  There is a concerted, targeted effort to keep non-residents (of local communities) away from the lake we love.  Together we are  urging the angling community to unite in its efforts to no longer sit idly by and have our fate dictated to us by those who do not want to see visiting anglers enjoy this public waterbody.  Please share this to raise awareness.

THE ISSUE

If you haven’t heard ... For several years now, virtually all of the townships around the 740 sq km lake have been applying no parking zones along most of the side streets and public access sites/right of ways close to the lake. These NO Parking signs, exorbitant parking tickets (just in the past year I myself have paid over $1000 in parking tickets) and the lack of parking available for out-of-towners has been a direct result of ongoing local complaints to town managers and Town Councillors to do something to prohibit  visitors from enjoying ‘their lake’.  Restricting parking accomplishes that in spades. Collectively the long-term result will be that Lake Simcoe becomes a place where only local residents or those with financial security to pay for overpriced non-resident parking fees, can enjoy the lake. Please help us work towards preventing Lake Simcoe from becoming a private lake.

Parking Restrictions for non-residents vary for each township. There are a couple highlights below as well as the link to that town’s parking website. Please note several of the municipalities have very little detail geared toward non-resident parking restrictions forcing visitors to drive up and try to figure out where to park when they arrive. This causes great confusion, frustration and often non-compliance. It can also be a major safety concern as visitors gamble by parking on the ice. We all know what happens when 100’s of vehicles park on the ice. Mass chaos. Vehicles sinking. Unrepairable environmental damage. Parking on the ice isn’t the solution either.
Generally it appears for most municipalities, non-residents are either not permitted to park near the lake or are forced to use very limited and overpriced parking lots. These lots are often too far from where many anglers wish to fish.

Township of Ramara:  https://www.ramara.ca/en/living-here/permit-parking.aspx   To express your parking concerns near the lake in Ramara visit:  https://www.facebook.com/Ramaratwp

Township of Orillia: No parking on the roads without a permit. The permit is only obtainable by being a resident. More details here: https://www.orillia.ca/en/living-here/parki...ing-Regulations To express your parking concerns near the lake in Orillia visit: https://www.facebook.com/VisitOrillia/  

Township of Oro-Medonte: ​From the town’s website: “Parking and Traffic By-law No. 2021-005 is now in effect between December 1st through to April 1st of the following year.  No person shall park a vehicle on any Township road or municipal lot​​ between 2:00 a.m. and 12:00 pm”
Complete details here:  https://www.oro-medonte.ca/Pages/parking-winter-recreational-activities.aspx   To express your parking concerns near the lake in Oro Medonte visit:   https://www.facebook.com/OroMedonteChamberOfCommerce

City of Barrie:  From the Town’s website: Non-resident Waterfront Parking Passes are valid for the calendar year. The pass costs $90 for residents of Oro, Innisfil, Essa and Springwater (with proof of residency). All other non-residents are charged $130 for the non-resident waterfront parking pass. Where paid parking is acceptable, parking rates of $10/hour or $50/day are applicable for vehicles that do not display a Waterfront Parking Pass.  For more details: https://www.barrie.ca/Living/Getting%20Arou...nt-Parking.aspx
To express your parking concerns near the lake in Barrie: https://www.facebook.com/cityofbarrie

Town of Innisfil: More details: https://innisfil.ca/en/living-here/parking.aspx
To express how you feel about parking near the lake in Innisfil: https://www.facebook.com/TownOfInnisfil

Town of Georgina: More details: https://www.georgina.ca/living-here/parking...ing-regulations
To express how you feel about parking near the lake in Georgina:  https://www.facebook.com/TownofGeorgina

Township of Brock: More details: https://www.townshipofbrock.ca/en/municipal...ce/parking.aspx To express how you feel about parking near the lake: https://www.facebook.com/brocktownship

WHY ARE TOWNSHIPS DISCRIMINATING AGAINST NON RESIDENTS?

Due to the lack of lakeshore parking lots, street-side parking is currently the only real parking option around Lake Simcoe. Restrictions against non-residents, started long before covid when a very small minority of anglers (assumed to be non-resident visitors) would abuse the privilege of parking along the roadside. It only took a couple inconsiderate anglers to dump garbage, block driveways or create havoc in one way or another to solicit angry complaints from local residents. Those residents and local voters who felt compelled to complain about non-residents to Town officials and councillors did so and made their views loud and clear. They pushed hard for no parking signs along their street- to the point where most roadways near the lake became posted. When covid hit, the few publicly accessible parking lots near the lake restricted non-resident parking rights even further.

Additionally, when COVID started, cottages and homes around the lake were sold in great numbers; way above asking price, to wealthy, influential people from out of town.  During Covid with so many anglers out of work, or given the opportunity to work from home, with flexible hours … they chose to ice fish mid-week (vs just weekends) more than ever and re-visit Ontario’s top ice fishing destination. The result – beginning last winter, was that Lake Simcoe was busier than ever!   Both the resident and non-resident Lake Simcoe  fishing community is growing and roadside parking restrictions exasperate the problem.  Existing parking lots are either too far from where anglers want to access the lake, or too expensive (more than parking downtown) for many anglers.

All Licenced Anglers Have The Right To Fish Lake Simcoe

A strong argument could be made that whether you are a local resident who loves to fish the lake or need to travel from somewhere else to get there, local municipalities should not discriminate against either user group.  We often hear that taxes from local residents pay for all local infrastructure so they should have special parking and access rights to the lake. This is simply not the case as Provincial and Federal Transfer Payments often offset these costs.  The lake itself is managed by the province and MNR staff are tasked with managing its fisheries for all to enjoy. Raising and stocking thousands of whitefish or lake trout into the lake, conducting fisheries monitoring and research programs, enforcing regulations, and so on – are all expensive and paid for via the ministry’s Special Purpose Account – where all angler licence fees are earmarked for this type of work managed by the provincial government- not local municipal ones.  MNR not only stocks the lake to create quality recreational fishing opportunities and socio economic benefits for the province and local communities … but to provide accessible, non-discriminatory fishing opportunities for all. When visiting anglers are turned away from Lake Simcoe because they can’t find a place to park and access – not only is that local municipality loosing significant economic benefits but those same anglers are travelling a little further to fish around lakes where they are not discriminated against and parking regulations are the same for everyone.  Furthermore, the stress to those smaller waterbodies of additional anglers can jeopardize the sustainability of those fisheries.   

WHAT CAN WE DO?

I myself have spoken to the by law officers and some of the mayors of these townships. These rules were put in place because of complaints. NOT COVID. These complaints only came from the opposing side. The cottagers and local homeowners. Right now the township is sitting there thinking they’ve solved the parking problem by greatly discriminating against non-residents. Surprisingly perhaps … these Town officials, councillors and mayors are telling me they are hearing very little opposition from visitors – non-resident anglers. Without anglers and local business owners calling or emailing their views against non-resident parking restrictions … these restrictions and expensive fines will continue.

WE NEED TO SHOW THEM WE ARE NOT THE MINORITY AND THAT A UNFIED ANGLING COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THEM TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION. We need to inform them we will fully adhere to all local and Provincial Covid restrictions and are not a safety concern.   The townships will not make any change without a reason to change. We need to contact Town councillors, mayors (email addresses are available on most Town sites)  to politely and professionally voice our displeasure with the current discrimination against visiting anglers and ask for less restrictions on roadside parking and push for more parking lots! We pay taxes too. We deserve to have access to our waterways. Sitting quietly by hoping for change, complaining amongst ourselves, or blaming other anglers is not working!

Please let's try to make a difference as together we try unite in our efforts to insist on a more inclusive, non-discriminatory policy towards those not fortunate enough to live in local Lake Simcoe Communities. Regardless of where we live- we all love the lake and hope to enjoy it together for generations to come.

This post has been edited by apps on Dec 31, 2021 - 10:00 am

As an angler, I can see how this would frustrate people. But at least Barrie is providing a non-resident parking pass.

This is a great post, thank you! Full of helpful information and well researched!
I will be making quite a few phone calls!
This goes well beyond frustrating.
The lake is supported by the province (taxpayer dollars)...it is not a private lake.
My home backs onto a big, beautiful park...I can only imagine the outcry if parking was prohibited on our local streets and only residents were allowed to park (or visitors were forced to pay exorbitant parking fees to walk the trails or use the playground and baseball diamond). It wouldn't last a day.

This is a very sad situation, I remember fishing on Simcoe when parking wasn't an issue.In all the years I fished this lake winter, summer, only ever got 1 ticket for 35$. Over the last few years the parking areas have been eroded to the point of extinction. I stopped fishing Simcoe 4yrs ago, no point of coming to a place that rejects your tourism $$$. There are many other lakes to ice fish I would suggest we all go and find one, keep it clean, be respectful, and hopefully there will be free public parking for all, something that Simcoe will never have.It's been a slice!

this type of thing definitely affects dollars coming in from outside. I mean I usually come up once or twice to fish. I stay at a friends, but we go out for dinner a couple times, by gas, stop at tackle shops, buy things I forgot to bring up. So the community will certainly loose out on those dollars. But there is an upside, I will save money and wear on my vehicle to get there.

I am not sure if this applies to anyone but if there are any Veterans on here with Ontario issued Veteran licence plates, parking in Barrie is FREE for folks with the correct plates.

Luckily I am a vet and have the plates. I am trying to get an answer for Orillia to see if they honour the Veteran plates free parking, will update when I get an answer. If not, any other Vet with plates could park at the local Legion branch in Orillia which is located at Couchiching Park with water access.

Hope this helps troops.

(if you think you qualify for Veteran plates see Service Ontario for their forms, you will need your discharge papers and Military or Veteran card ID. You will have to file with the Canadian Legion, they then provide a letter stating you can apply for a Veteran plate at Service Ontario)

Neilly Rd and IBP also have free parking for those with a handicap card to display.
Para 22 at the link also outlines Veterans Plates and Handicap Accessible card parking. Vets Parking Where it mentions Schedule "F", that's for Neilly Rd, IBP and Guest Rd parking lots.

Also found this but I can't find it in their bylaws. "The City of Orillia gives free parking to veterans," said Aspden. ... Anybody who's done three years in the (Armed) Forces is eligible (for a veteran's plate)."Apr 11, 2006

Update, found this: CITY OF ORILLIA POLICY MANUAL
Part 3 Parking and Transit
3.1.1.2.
Section 1 Parking
Sub-Section 1 General
Policy 2 Free Parking - Veterans
Page 1 of 1
I:\A09 Policy Manual\City Policy Manual\Section 3 - Parking & Transit\3.1.1.2. Free Parking - Veterans.docx
THAT... free parking be extended for vehicles displaying the "Veterans" licence plate at
any municipal metered or pay and display downtown parking space.
(R. 2006-87 06.03.27)
(R. 2021-97 21.07.19)

This is a good find for me Fisherman....thank you very much....For some reason I cant open the link in your post..... So is that for handicap and Vets, in all three areas. Maybe you can post the actual link. Thx again.

Arnie

Thank you for checking! Thats amazing news!

Tight lines

This is a good find for me Fisherman....thank you very much....For some reason I cant open the link in your post..... So is that for handicap and Vets, in all three areas. Maybe you can post the actual link. Thx again.

Arnie

Longfish, that link just leads to the Para 22. Scroll down to #22. Para 22 link.

This is a good find for me Fisherman....thank you very much....For some reason I cant open the link in your post..... So is that for handicap and Vets, in all three areas. Maybe you can post the actual link. Thx again.

Arnie

Longfish, that link just leads to the Para 22. Scroll down to #22. Para 22 link.

Fisherman

I tried that new link you just posted and got a .....access denied.

Arnie

Ya, something funny there, I can open the link but not copy and paste what's there, have to try something else.

Try this:

https://ehq-production-canada.s3.ca-central...0-11_signed.pdf

I removed the parameters after the ".pdf", which seemed to help.

Thanks Ronzigator, appreciated.

Boycott all their businesses, and refuse to spend a penny in their jurisdictions, why don't we levy non resident parking fees for any RESIDENTS of said townships, when they leave their jurisdiction? I frankly bypass all that is Orillia, except their roads. Tromblays hasn't got a penny from me in 2 years. i'm ticketing Orillia Hydro trucks when they park at our falls, in the New Year.