With his pronouncement that he does not view cottage country annexation as “a solution,” new Flin Flon Mayor Cal Huntley did not explicitly say so, but one can gather he won’t be trying to drastically expand his city’s borders anytime soon.
Winning by such a narrow margin, it’s quite likely – if not certain – that Huntley’s position on cottagers was decisive for his campaign.
Cottagers can’t vote, you say? Well, that’s not entirely true. And it’s not the only factor at play.
First, many cottagers can and do vote in municipal elections because they also own property in Flin Flon. I’m told that about half of cottagers in our region are seasonal. While a number of them spend their winters in Winnipeg, Alberta, the States and other faraway locations, a significant number reside in Flin Flon.
To say that cottagers were one-issue voters this election would probably be an understatement; to say they agree with Huntley that annexation is no “solution” would be a cosmic one.
But more importantly, I would argue, is the impact the annexation issue had on Flin Flon voters who do not own a cottage. Talk of cottages becoming a bona fide, taxable part of their city made them uneasy. And with good reason.
Placing cottages in Flin Flon would subject those homes to assessments and property taxes, like all other buildings in the
community.
A friend of mine has a three-bedroom house in Flin Flon. Several decades old, not much of a yard. Taxes come in at $3,300 a year.
If that kind of property pays $3,300 a year, one can only imagine what a large lakefront home at Big Island or Schist Lake would have to dole out. We’re talking $12,000, $15,000, if not more. Every single year.
Forced out
In other words, annexation would force some of these new Flin Flonners out of their homes by virtue of the sudden, dramatic rise in the cost of living. Cottagers, remember, aren’t all wealthy Jay Gatsbys.
This is where the human element comes into play. These are our friends and neighbours we’re talking about. How could we support placing such a huge financial burden on them when they wouldn’t even get the same services as in-town residents?
Another question: With some of these individuals forced out of their homes, would anyone step in to buy their cottages?
Manitoba has a near infinite number of lakes and perhaps tens of thousands of cottages. If you really want a cottage, will you buy one further away from Flin Flon that pays $1,200 a year in fees or one near Flin Flon that pays $15,000 a year in taxes? The answer is obvious.
In this way, annexation could very well compound the problem of population decline. Yes, the newly enlarged Flin Flon would have several hundred more residents, but the overall Flin Flon area would quite likely suffer as some are forced to move – with our businesses and volunteer initiatives paying the price.
I realize that annexation has likely always been more of a flight of fancy than something with a real shot at happening. But for the previous city council, it was very much a tool in the kit of options.
Using the threat of annexation as leverage may not have even been necessary in city-cottage talks. Proof of that will come if Mayor Huntley can come up with a funding deal that satisfies both sides.
