bigfish1965 Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 I just finished reading a story in the St Catharines Standard. In order to use on of their river front parks for fishing, you will require a special fishing license from the town. The paper states that the license is 'free to town residents'. This indicates that either out of towners need not apply ot they will have to pay.. Obviously this is illegal. A group of us are challenging the town on this matter. only the province may require licensing for fishing and since the fish are not the property of the town, they may not restrict access to them This type of thing must be met with resistance. This is not the time for our normal apathetic response. Please email the members of the town council and let them know this is not acceptable and will not go unchallenged. The only permit I need to fish in the Province of Ontario is my Outdoors Card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmtcanada Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Wow!!! Municipal governments can be just plain silly sometimes. I'll be looking to the city website to find out some email addresses for sure...if they get away with it, then before long, many places to fish will be closed off...and it may take years for the province to clean it all up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeXXington Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Yeap, Towns looking to get in on the $$.. Unforatunatly the Goverment did provide the powers to cities to tax. For example they may not be allowed to charge a "Fishing licence" but they could charge a access right to fish while standing on town land?. For example they do this if you want to hold a wedding or something on town land?? Hopefully the goveremnt will nip this in the butt as this will make lots of people who fish from shore locked out of many good urban fishing spots. Us with boats can pull right up and fish without interferance. I am sure the OFAH will be on this as we know without a large push the MNR will fold under presure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiel Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 .... I believe there is/was to be a license requirement to be put in effect for parts of the Nottawasaga River in Essa township, it's bunk. I fish the Notty in that area and though this license requirement may have been in effect for a few years now, I'm not sure cause I refuse to acknowledge it! I have my Ontario license and that's all I should require! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted February 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 The town could charge an access fee but only if they are charging everyone else one as well. The fact that I am standing there fishing is not any of the town's concern or business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 .... I believe there is/was to be a license requirement to be put in effect for parts of the Nottawasaga River in Essa township, it's bunk. I fish the Notty in that area and though this license requirement may have been in effect for a few years now, I'm not sure cause I refuse to acknowledge it! I have my Ontario license and that's all I should require! Spiel I just refuse to fish those areas,not spend my money in Angus. Fish above/below or on private property. Thats how I see it and how I say the heck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keram Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Just waiting for the privlidge to buy and fill the application to get the license to fart in boat luanch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeXXington Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Hi Rick: The responce the city of Toronto has had to this has been the province only provides some funding local tax payers provide the rest. So for example you pay road tax, gas tax, and licence fee but this only covers some of the roads the local tax payer picks up the rest. So if you want too stand on town land the local tax payer, pays to keep it clean, cut the grass and the insurance incase you get hurt. So an none local person should pay for the privlidge of standing there, The major issue I see with this is if every town decided to do this there would be road tolls every 2k, if you wanted to stop and get out of your car buy a pass.. So much for come visit my town... Trust me this will not be the first or last time a city, province or goverment tries to take more money from you. If this gets past what I would recommend is Every person from St Catherines pays a standing fee to fish anywhere else in the province. (sorry local people) Darn I hate tax time it gets me all ticked off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennyman Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 (edited) Pretty soon in Ontario they'll be giving us only specific (very limited) areas to fish on or off land!! The areas designated as fishing areas be a mile out from shore too. Then ........ tolls. You know,this is just another ridiculous example of one branch of the government not having a clue (or care) for what the other branch is doing. Typical. Sorry,LEXXington, you beat me on the "tolls thing". I got busy (at work) in the middle of typing this and when I posted I noticed). Well,great minds think alike LOL. Edited February 19, 2007 by kennyman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muskieb Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 But do you think they will implement a fee for the tourists walking through their parks looking at the flowers? Do they pay to have the flowers planted, the lawn cut, the trails paved? To charge one group of tourists for visiting but not the rest is wrong and quite frankly a violation of our civil rights. It could likely be argued that it is somewhat a form of discrimination. Got me irritated too, sorry for the rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerritt Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Rick, pass out some email addresses... I will make my voice heard... infact setup an online petition that can be printed off and delivered to town council, then post the snot out of it on other fishing boards with its link letting other anglers in Canada what is happening.... Then bring this to the town council meeting letting them know anglers will boycot their town should this be ratified.. therefor losing ALOT of tourist $$$ I will gladly help you spear head this, in terms of hours required as it is not a $$ thing just a matter of a bit of time... Gerritt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aniceguy Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Wow another municipality trying to put the squeeze, Im hoping it gets squashed for the obvious reasons not withstanding I have to sneak past Ernie to fish the $ 40 bend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alumacraft Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 This nothing new for N O T L. They closed down the only public launch ramp in their town 10+ years ago why???? I don't think they liked having people coming in with their trucks and boats and fishing for the day, then leaving their tourist trap.A charter boat captain who is a good friend of mine wanted to keep his boat at the local marina for the first month of the salmon season was told flat out NO.They told him they didn't want a fishing boat with all the downriggers,planer board mast, and rods on the boat even though he has a beautiful 30 ft Baja. In my opinion the town of N O T L is full of snobs who do not want the regular hard working class of people in their quaint little over priced tourist trap.Unless of course you live there in one of the over priced homes and pay outrageous property taxes. If this goes through I think it would be blast if we could get as many anglers as possible to show up one day and invade them. Have everone show up trucks and boats intow and have a convoy cruise around their precious tourist trap. But thats just my opinion. Alumacraft formerly Rob formerly RH Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlied Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Well 50 point did it...costs money to go in and fish from there marina and the shore of lake ontario....but they fee is to everyone. But that is also a conservation area as well. Niagara on the Lake is all about making money...buggers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesn Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 If they no longer have a public boat launch, clearly the people they are targeting with this mainly is shore angling tourists. Seems very unfair to selectively target just them. The enforcement of it will also be questionable. Who will do the enforcement? Their police force? Certainly not the MNR COs of which there is such a shortage. If it is a privately hired scrub, why would I give any identification or even acknowledge them if they come over and pester me about some local license. Definitely sounds like something to be acted against now to prevent the copy-cat syndrome from other townships. Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjcanoe Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Circle city hall with trucks, boats & trailers and guys (and Gals) on foot rods a waving. Politley enter each and everysingle bussiness in town and inform them that the out of town fishing public will not be patonizing any local shops for so much as a cup of coffee until the town council gets it's collective head out of their butts. Just my $.02 jjcanoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 If the Toronto city councillors hear about this scam and figure they can get in on the act, they'll have their own toll booth set-up on the Toronto waterfront by sunrise tomorrow for anyone who even looks like a fisherman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusty Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 When taking a trip to germany in 95, I inquired about fishing. To my dismay I was informed that 99% of all water was privately maintained and if I wanted to fish in a certain stream, I would have to join the PRIVATE CLUB who maintained that water. Fee's have been common place in europe for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camillj Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 True Crusty ... and not just in Europe ... hasnt anyone sent their $5 'lottery' ticket for the right to fish (for one fish in one hole on one river) in the Gaspe rivers for Salmon yet ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camillj Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Dont most of the Provincial parks also have a fee system ? (And all of the conservation Areas) ... personally I'd rather they have a fee and keep fishing 'allowed' than ban it altogether ... or worse yet sell off the land to a developer who will certainly not even allow it ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikehunter Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 (edited) I'm currently in the middle of a search on the town's website and just found this link in regards to this thread: NOTL council meeting link I am going to read on further to find any email links to respond to this. Here is a little of it: The following is a brief summary of the recommendations from the February 5, 2007 Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee Meeting, which have been referred to this Council meeting for consideration. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee recommends that: (see minutes for complete set of recommendations) A. Town property, known as 113 River Beach Drive, be signed "Access to Property by Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Permit Only"; and a permit to use the property for the purpose of fishing, be available for Niagara-on-the-Lake residents Email list for NOTL Mayor and Councillors mayor councillor coucillor counciller councillor councillor councillor councillor Councillor Art Viola has no email address I am going to send an email to them with a link to this site/thread Edited February 20, 2007 by pikehunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 LOL, here is the whole problem, Lord Mayor? Like god? I don`t have any idea how your laws work up there. We have a small community park here, it is open to everyone. Do they receive federal funds to maintain the parks and access? Sounds like they want their own exclusive little park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Sounds like they want their own exclusive little park. They want they're own exclusive everything... they didn't even want a McD's like 10miles from downtown, in the middle of the boonies off a major road into NOTL 'cause "it will smell like grease"... unless you drive a $50,000 lexus, make 6 figures and own 2 homes mortgage free you're not welcome there- well for 98% of the residents it's like that!! Gawd i hate that town.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennyman Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 (edited) I'm currently in the middle of a search on the town's website and just found this link in regards to this thread:NOTL council meeting link I am going to read on further to find any email links to respond to this. Here is a little of it: The following is a brief summary of the recommendations from the February 5, 2007 Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee Meeting, which have been referred to this Council meeting for consideration. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee recommends that: (see minutes for complete set of recommendations) A. Town property, known as 113 River Beach Drive, be signed "Access to Property by Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Permit Only"; and a permit to use the property for the purpose of fishing, be available for Niagara-on-the-Lake residents mayor councillor coucillor counciller councillor councillor councillor councillor Councillor Art Viola has no email address I am going to send an email to them with a link to this site/thread I sent this to the Mayor (his was addressed accordingly) and all the councillors. I'd suggest everyone tell them how you feel. Let them make the correct decision. Make your voice heard if you want to be listened to! Here is the e-mail I sent. Hello,councillor. This is in regards to the recommendations from the February 5, 2007 Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee Meeting, which have been referred to this Council meeting for consideration. The Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee recommends that: (see minutes for complete set of recommendations) A. Town property, known as 113 River Beach Drive, be signed "Access to Property by Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Permit Only"; and a permit to use the property for the purpose of fishing, be available for Niagara-on-the-Lake residents. I can't tell you how much I disagree with these actions. As an angler I already have to pay for an Ontario fishing license which entitles me to fish all of Ontarios crown land. Do you know the can of worms (pun intended) you are opening?Should I have to pay an extra fee everytime I go fishing? Should every town,district or county all get a cut? Should I have to get an individual permit for everywhere I fish? Nobody will be able to afford the cost or time involved. For instance if I travel to fifty different destinations during one year should I require fifty different permits? Should I be required to carry a complete library around on my person so if I decide to fish a different area I can produce proof every time?Consider the time and costs associated with this both to the individual and the community.Do you know how many people are anglers sir?It is the one of the worlds most popuar hobbies. How do you think we'll feel about the discrimination being shown by you and your town towards us? What if all anglers stopped coming to your towns businesses because of these actions? What effect will this have? Would that be something positive or constructive for the community you represent? How will the people you are sworn to represent feel when you are adversely effecting virtually every household in your community? How many families do not have an angler among them or at very least their neighbor?Please reconsider your actions in this manner as it will not be taken lightly or accepted well by the fishing community.Please make the right decision in this matter. Thankyou,concerned citizen,Ken(I included my last name as well). Edited February 20, 2007 by kennyman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted February 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 LOL, here is the whole problem, Lord Mayor? Like god? I don`t have any idea how your laws work up there. We have a small community park here, it is open to everyone. Do they receive federal funds to maintain the parks and access? Sounds like they want their own exclusive little park. Lord Mayor is the official term for the Mayor in NOTL. It is actually from England and is the way Mayors are titled there. Many of the older towns still use the designation, though most have shortened it to Mayor. NOTL has a rich history in Canada and is a lovely town. They just practise some very strange politics and have a reputation as being very exclusionary and elitist, which is odd for a town whose principal industry is tourism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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