MNR needs $$$ - Seniors to Pay for Fishing

[superdad]

Has anyone read the latest OOD???? In the 'NEWS' column there is an article about the MNR looking for new Funds. Hunters and Fishers to bear the brunt of this.

FYI

David aka Superdad

Here's the article:


The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is proposing new ways to increase revenue — and hunters and anglers will likely bear the brunt of it.

An Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) posting, which closes for comment on June 2, says that by 2015 the Special Purpose Account (SPA) that funds the MNR’s fish and wildlife programs, which cost $100-million to deliver, will not be able to keep up with shortfalls caused by changing licence purchases, inflation, and an older demographic.

According to the posting, the SPA will have to reduce expenditures in 2015 to maintain a positive budget unless actions are taken to offset the shortfall.

All of the proposed actions are outlined in this Sustainability Strategy for the Special Purpose Account (SPA), 2014-2019 document.

In the 40-page document some of the proposed actions include the following:

a $2 processing fee for Outdoors Cards and licence purchases;
increased commercial fishing licence fees; and
replacing free angling for seniors with discounted conservation and sportfishing licences starting in 2016.

At current licence rates that would mean seniors would pay $23.11 for a sportfishing licence or $13.17 for a conservation licence, plus $9.63 in either case for an Outdoors Card.

The draft strategy’s goals also include improving efficiency and cost savings within the MNR to allow more money to be directed to fish and wildlife conservation, corporate sponsorships, and initiatives that recruit and retain anglers and hunters.

In addition to receiving public comment via the EBR posting, MNR Project Manager Silvia Stobl said that the ministry held presentations at 23 stakeholder sessions from December 2012 to March 2013, and focus sessions for key stakeholders from November 2013 to February 2014.

MNR Sr. Media Relations Officer Jolanta Kowalski said after the 45-day comment period, the MNR will review the comments to develop a decision notice that will be posted on the EBR Registry for additional comments.
- See more at: http://www.oodmag.com/news/mnr-looking-new-funding/#sthash.Aj8QX8AP.dpuf

[BillM]

Many threads about this already if I'm not mistaken.

[Dara]

Who elected this gang of crooks anyway

[16 Footer]

That sucks! I was looking forward to free retirement fishing in a few years.

[Ralph Field]

I know the Liberals won't squander my money, so as a senior I'll gladly pay. I think the 2 dollar processing fee is justified because the U.S. firm issuing our licences has to hire more staff to keep up with the demand.

[Fisherman]

Ya, old "news". It sucks. If news is a derivitive of new, then what would you call old news? Olds?

Edited June 24, 2014 by Fisherman

[Headhunter]

And so it starts.

I would accept an increase in my license fee to help "fund" seniors licenses. To my mind, seniors have already paid enough. Pay during your earning years and enjoy the fruits of your labour in your "senior" years.

HH

[BillM]

Looks like I've got fathers day gifts figured out for a while now!

[Lucky Linda]

I like the 'user pay' system. Call me crazy...but for a senior to come up with $20-$30 to fish for the year? Seriously? I am sure I will take a beating for my opinion...but that's sounding cheap to me!

[Bill Shearer]

According to one forum I'm on;

 

The Seniors new licence fee is a done deal, we had no chance for input. AND the Bull about a discounted fee for Seniors is apparently Bull as well. An owner of a tackle shop who also sells fishing licences has told me in no uncertain terms that I was wasting my time, the deal is done, they have already set the Seniors Licence up in their system and there is NO discount!!! And we will see it NEXT YEAR.

All the time, effort and expense of the report etc. was just the government blowing smoke up a certain orifice to make us feel like we had important input to add. They don't give a fiddlers **** about what we say or think. If I am wrong I will apologise, but the tackle shop owner was firm in his remarks, If any other Licence sellers are out there please comment and let me know, RIGHT or WRONG.

Typical of the way the present government did things

[Oggie]

Does anyone know how much of the MNR budget for fisheries and wildlife is paid for by licenses? If we use the idea that the users of the resource must pay for managing the resource then road tolls shouldn't be too far off with this new government! If you drive the highway then you should pay for the maintenance of the highway; seem fair to me!

 

They've cut the MNR soooooo deep I'm surprised they haven't resorted to charging seniors prior to this. I don't like the idea because it won't solve the problem. Public tax dollars should be used for the MNr not just license money..

Dan O.

[BillM]

I don't think anyone would complain if this $$$ went right back into the fisheries.

[superdad]

Sorry about reposting on an old thread, I looked around and didn't see it.

 

I'm still chuffed at OFAH about it and their total silence, especially in the magazine.

 

David aka Superdad

[Terry]

I like the 'user pay' system. Call me crazy...but for a senior to come up with $20-$30 to fish for the year? Seriously? I am sure I will take a beating for my opinion...but that's sounding cheap to me!

yeah, so they miss a few meal, so they can fish, they should just shut up and take it

the old farts

[misfish]

I have already expressed my views on this subject on another site. I dont want to get all reved up again.

 

Thank you Joe for the short and sweet ,of my comments made. You have to hear and see,to understand why they shouldnt have to pay. Some of the comments would make your head spin,why they should pay.

 

 

And so it starts.

I would accept an increase in my license fee to help "fund" seniors licenses. To my mind, seniors have already paid enough. Pay during your earning years and enjoy the fruits of your labour in your "senior" years.

HH

Edited June 24, 2014 by Misfish

[alphaalpha]

Yup I don't mind paying an increased license fee as well. Like other poster said the current fee is dirt cheap... Doubling the sport and conservation fee and it's still a joke really.

 

Leave the folks on a fixed income alone.

 

If you want to fish once or twice a year a conservation license is way cheaper than going to a movie or two. If you fish often and keep a lot or fish tourneys a $50 year fee is a drop in the bucket.

 

All that being said the increases damn well better go back into the fisheries.

 

Cheers,

 

AA

[SirCranksalot]

Seniors are not all a low income group. If some seniors are having trouble scraping by a realistic answer is to improve the CPP as most, if not all, of the provinces urged the Feds to do. Failing that---not that Harper put the kybosh on that idea---a provincial pension plan would help, as Ont and some of the others seem intent on doing. This nickle and diming it with 'seniors, discounts and free fishing licences is for the birds!!

[bigugli]

Seniors are not all a low income group. If some seniors are having trouble scraping by a realistic answer is to improve the CPP as most, if not all, of the provinces urged the Feds to do. Failing that---not that Harper put the kybosh on that idea---a provincial pension plan would help, as Ont and some of the others seem intent on doing. This nickle and diming it with 'seniors, discounts and free fishing licences is for the birds!!

I'm OK with the seniors license as long as everyone pays for a license. Whether that be a youth fee, a family rate permit, or the kids catch and possession limit is incorporated into a supervising adult's limit. After all, we want to be fair don't we??????

[jojomack]

just when I turn 65, the federal government clawed back my military pension, now I might have to pay for a fishing licence! I've only recently moved back to Ont. (Barrie) prefer to fly fish rivers, any good ones near Barrie as I am on dialysis and can't be away for any length of time. (please email [email protected]

Edited June 24, 2014 by jojomack

[Rich Nelson]

If there were more COs out there handing out fines, then lots of money could be generated.

[BillM]

If there were more COs out there handing out fines, then lots of money could be generated.

 

I like this idea of generating revenue the best.

[manitoubass2]

 

I like this idea of generating revenue the best.

i agree in principal. But we need good co's however. Last year a buddy and i got pulled over while crappie fishing. He got dinged for no life jacket. I warned him in advance and he took his lumps, he deserved it. But the co harassed me big time about my outdoors card and it left me confused. He said hed let it go this time but to go to the fort frances MNR office to straighten out the issue asap. Well i still couldn't understand the issue? I have a valid outdoorsman card (ontario) as well as a valid sport fishing license. No idea how this got brought up but he said i lived in Alberta. Well at one time i did, 6-7 years prior. But i was never an Alberta resident. I always retained my home in ontario. When I went into the office they laughed at me and said the co musta had a rough day. Nothing at all was wrong with my card nor my license. Pissed me off but also confused the heck outta me

[ketchenany]

Never been unemployed and paid taxes to ONTARIO and the FEDS since 1968. Never collected a red cent yet, somehow we should get a little something back, but that may not be the case with this elected government, with their spending patterns and money grabs.

 

I can see kissing good bye the free family fishing week each summer.

 

I can afford it but why give it to them to use for something else. I'm adopting a new kind of conservation, don't fish!

 

rant over!

 

BillM, wish I had a son with your ideas I get a CT card or a golf day:)

[Canuck2fan]

increased commercial fishing licence fees

 

This is the idea I like the higher the better too. Hit the netters all of THEM till they bleed as hard as the they make the resource bleed....

 

I will gladly pay for my dad's license if they make seniors pay, just to enjoy his company while out fishing. I would also pay double for mine if they can PROVE to me that the money goes toward protecting and stocking fish.

[Moosebunk]

Don't like it...

 

But if it's going that way Pops will just have to skip one days greens fees at the links to come fishing anytime, all year.