The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Bakers Narrows cottagers are set to see their average annual provincial fees soar by nearly $1,000 over the next decade. The NDP government plans to gradually hike land rental and park district fees on all cottages in Manitoba provincial parks beginning this year. 'I wouldn't be overly worried with that,' said Duke Russell, a long-time Bakers Narrows resident. Russell, a retiree, felt that paying an average of $100 extra a year over 10 years is not excessive. According to the province, Bakers Narrows cottage owners currently pay about $670 a year in land and park district fees. Other fees are not included in that amount. Russell, for instance, has an annual bill totalling $1,057 as a year-round Bakers Narrows resident. By 2023, Bakers Narrows land and park district fees are expected to rise to an average of $1,652 _ an extra $982. A provincial spokesperson said the higher fees will reflect the fact that services for cottagers in provincial parks are, in Manitoba as a whole, largely subsidized by other taxpayers. 'The proposed increase in park district service fees and crown land rent is meant to make the cost of providing services for cottagers more fair to Manitoba taxpayers,' said the spokesperson. Park district fees were originally implemented to help cover the cost of providing services, such as sewage treatment, to cottagers in parks. Those fees have not gone up in 12 years, the spokesperson said, and across Manitoba cover just 38 per cent of the $4.5 million price tag for cottager services. 'To make the adjustments manageable for park cottagers, the fees and rent will be increased incrementally over the next 10 years,' the spokesperson said, 'with the goal of recovering 100 per cent of the cost of property services provided for cottagers by that time.' See 'Feelings..' on pg. 3 Continued from pg. 1 Russell said he doesn't know how his cottage association will feel about the province's plans, as some executive members are currently out of town. The province had initially said that, in general terms, fees for park-based cottagers would go up about $2,000 over the next 10 years. But that was before specific figures for Bakers Narrows, requested by The Reminder, became available last week. The spokesperson said the NDP will continue to enhance and modernize parks while ensuring funding is provided 'in a manner that is both sustainable and fair.' The planned fee increases will not impact cottagers who live outside of provincial parks. The announcement comes as Flin Flon City Council attempts to secure annual fees from area cottagers, arguing they utilize many municipal services as often as Flin Flon residents.
