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Algonquin Provincial Park Cottage Lot 2022 Occupational Authority Application Fact Sheet


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Table of Contents

  • Context
  • Purpose
  • Critical Dates, Conditions and Requirements:
  • Option 1: Application to enter 2022 occupational authority and complete eligibility requirements.
  • Option 2: Choose to not apply for 2022 Occupational Authority and vacate the lot.

Context


As identified in the Algonquin Provincial Park Cottage Lot Policy (2018 – 2038), existing Algonquin cottagers may be granted occupational authority (e.g., lease, licence of occupation) to extend their term of occupation for their cottage lots to December 31, 2038 (i.e. an additional 21 years), subject to eligibility requirements, policies, limits and conditions, including new rents and service fees. This opportunity will be offered in two steps:


Step 1: Occupational authority for the period of January 1, 2018 up to December 31, 2022 (“2022 occupational authority”): 

  • This step provides time for holders of occupational authority (“cottagers”) to implement all of the eligibility requirements, and for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) to audit each cottage lot to confirm that all such eligibility requirements have been met.

Step 2: Occupational authority to December 31, 2038 (“2038 occupational authority”):

  • This step would be available to cottagers who meet all eligibility requirements to the satisfaction of MNRF.


Purpose

To summarize the two options available to cottagers at this time and the related technical details. They are as follows:

  1. Apply for  2022 occupational authority and work towards meeting all eligibility requirements in order to be eligible for 2038 occupational authority, or
  2. Choose not to apply for 2022 occupational authority and vacate the park in accordance with the terms and conditions of your existing occupational authority (lease, License of Occupation or Land Use Permit) that expires on December 31, 2017.


Critical Dates, Conditions and Requirements:

  • Cottagers are required to complete and sign the application form for occupational authority (click here for form) to allow their continued occupation of their cottage lot from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022, in accordance with the Algonquin Provincial Park Cottage Lot Policy (2018-2038).
  • Only those individuals currently listed on the 2017 cottage lot occupational authority, or the holders of the occupational authority document after a formal transfer has been completed, are eligible to sign the 2022 occupational authority application form.
  • All persons listed on the existing occupational authority for the cottage lot must complete and sign the application form.
  • Tenancy will remain the same (i.e., joint tenants, or tenants in common).
  • The 2022 occupational authority application form cannot be used to add new or to remove individuals currently listed on the occupational authority. Adding or removing holders requires a formal transfer to be completed. Similarly, the death of an existing holder requires an estate transfer to be completed. Please contact the Algonquin Cottage Lot Program team directly by email at algonquin.cottages@ontario.ca in order to obtain a transfer application and directions on how to proceed.
    • Transfers must be finalized by no later than February 28, 2017.
    • Transfers not finalized by February 28, 2017 will not be processed. A new transfer application can be submitted after the 2022 occupational authority instrument has been registered, (if one is applied for and issued for the cottage lot).
    • A transfer application does not replace the requirement to submit an application for 2022 occupational authority.
    • Please review the Algonquin Cottage Lot Program Transfer Fact Sheet (available in the toolkit at ontarioparks.com/cottagerstoolkit) for information on when transfers are required and what the application process is.
  • We encourage you to submit the application form as soon as possible to assist with administrative processing timelines.
  • The application deadline for 2022 occupational authority is March 31, 2017. Only completed applications received by MNRF by that date will be processed. Failure to meet this deadline will mean that you will be required to vacate your cottage lot in accordance with the terms and conditions of your existing occupational authority, which expires on December 31, 2017.
  • Similarly, if you do not wish to apply for 2022 occupational authority, then you will be required to vacate your cottage lot in accordance with the terms and conditions of your existing occupational authority, which expires on December 31, 2017.

Option 1: Application to enter 2022 occupational authority and complete eligibility requirements.

The following requirements apply to this option:

  • To be eligible for 2022 occupational authority, cottagers must submit a complete application package to MNRF by no later than March 31, 2017 and must not be in arrears respecting payments or debts of any kind owing to the Crown respecting the cottage lot. All persons listed on the existing 2017 occupational authority are required to complete and sign the attached application for 2022 Occupational Authority.
  • In August 2017 a copy of the 2022 occupational authority will be sent to the cottager for review and execution along with an invoice for the 2018 rent and service fees. If a signed copy of the occupational authority and payment of the rent and service fee is not received by MNRF by October 30, 2017, then the Crown’s offer of the 2022 occupational authority will automatically become void and you must vacate your cottage lot in accordance with the terms and conditions of your existing occupational authority, which expires on December 31, 2017.
  • All arrears, payments or debts of any kind owing to the Crown respecting the cottage lot must be paid in full and resolved before MNRF will issue the 2022 occupational authority for signing. Outstanding payments shall be submitted to the following address:

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

300 Water Street Box 7000

5th Floor, South Tower

Peterborough, ON. K8J 8M5

  • Occupational authority for the period of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2038 is not guaranteed and is dependent on whether the cottager successfully meets all eligibility requirements including payment of all rents, fees and taxes to the satisfaction of MNRF.
  • Cottagers who are issued the 2022 occupational authority but do not meet all of the eligibility requirements for the 2038 occupational authority, will not be provided a subsequent opportunity to obtain the 2038 occupational authority. In such cases, the cottagers must comply with the terms and conditions of their 2022 occupational authority, including the requirement to vacate the cottage lot.
  • Cottagers are responsible for all costs associated with meeting the eligibility requirements (e.g., survey fees, construction, relocation, resizing, sewage inspections, replacements or upgrades, archaeological assessments, etc.). MNRF is not responsible for any costs.
  • All persons listed on the existing occupational authority for the cottage lot must complete and sign the application form. Original signatures must be submitted. If not all persons are able to sign the same form, cottagers may either photocopy the blank form and send to the other persons for signature, or obtain a copy of the application form online (available in the toolkit at ontarioparks.com/cottagerstoolkit) to complete and sign. The application must then be submitted as one package. Do not submit the required components separately.
  • The following items must be submitted with your application package:
    • A completed application form (click here for form) including original signature for all existing occupational authority holders. You must submit a paper copy of the form (not scanned and emailed). Each signature must be original. You may use more than one form.
    • If the existing occupational authority holder is a corporation, a current copy of the Corporation Profile Report must be submitted. These can be obtained through the Ministry of Government Services. A Corporation Profile Report can also be ordered via mail from the Companies and Personal Property Security Branch at 393 University Avenue, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M2. Allow four to six weeks for processing. A Corporation Profile Report can also obtained electronically through private service providers. A list of private service providers are available at www.serviceontario.ca.
    • For License of Occupation (LO) holders: submit an original copy of the License of Occupation (if original is unobtainable, a complete copy of the license must be submitted).
    • Lease holders: A current copy of the Parcel Identification Number (PIN) form or abstract must be submitted. There are several ways to obtain the PIN abstract:


    1. Have your lawyers office obtain the PIN for you (if you have already engaged your lawyer for a transfer or other purpose they can do this for you)
    2. Visit the appropriate Land Registry Office and use the self service computer
    3. Hire a title searcher
    4. Go online to teranetexpress.ca and open an account


For most cottagers, the proper Land Registry Office is the Nipissing Division Land Registry Office (for all cottage lots that are not in Nightingale Township) at the following address,

Nipissing Land Registry Office #36

111-447 McKeown Ave.

North Bay, ON. P1B 9S9

Tel: 705-497-6822

Fax: 705-497-6900

A recommended title searcher for North Bay is Jane Hintze (705-474-2372). Preferred method of contact is email at jane.hintze@yahoo.com. In your email tell Jane you need a PIN Abstract. Also include your mailing address and other contact information, property description including lease number, name(s) the lease is under and, if you have it, the Parcel information Number. You will be charged a service fee as well as the PIN fee.



For those in Nightingale Township (Rock, Whitefish and Galeairy Lakes), you can obtain your PIN through the Haliburton Land Registry Office #19

12 Newcastle Street

Minden, ON K0M 2K0

Tel: 705-286-1391

Fax: 705-286-4324

A recommended title searcher for Minden is Georgina Kernohan at Hutchison Barnes Titles (hbtitles@hotmail.com). Tell Georgina that you need a PIN Abstract. Include your mailing address and other contact information, property description including lease number and name(s) the lease is under. You will be charged a service fee as well as the PIN fee.

For your application, your PIN abstract (form) needs to be under six months old.


Click here for the application form. You need to print, complete and sign the form and return the ORIGINAL with your completed application package.


Submit the completed application package by March 31, 2017 to the following address:
Ontario Parks Algonquin Zone Office
Attn: Algonquin Cottage Lot Program
451 Arrowhead Park Road, R.R. #3
Huntsville, ON, CAN
P1H 2J4


Option 2: Choose to not apply for 2022 Occupational Authority and vacate the lot.

  • Cottagers who do not apply for 2022 occupational authority, will be required to vacate their cottage lot in accordance with the existing occupational authority, which expires on December 31, 2017. MNRF will require cottagers to facilitate the removal of all improvements (e.g., cottage lot structures and sewage systems) associated with the cottage lot and restore the area to a safe and clean condition, to MNRFs reasonable satisfaction.
  • Cottagers who fail to complete the required removal and restoration of the lot are responsible for and accountable for any and all costs of decommissioning, removing and restoring the site to a safe and clean condition (i.e., MNRF is not responsible for any costs).
  • MNRF will audit (inspect) the site to verify that all improvements have been decommissioned and removed and that the site has been restored to MNRF’s reasonable satisfaction.
  • Cottagers not applying for 2022 occupational authority, do not need to complete and return the application form. MNRF would, however, appreciate an email to confirm that you will not be applying so that we do not follow up with you. Please send your notice to algonquin.cottages@ontario.ca