Ah, the cottage. All that sunshine and fresh air. And trees, with their pollen. And stinging insects. And—be honest—a little mould in the basement. This stuff can get annoying for any cottager. But for a cottager with allergies, it can ruin precious lakeside time. And, thanks to climate change, many allergy sufferers are worse off than ever. “Tree pollen season starts later than it used to and can overlap with grass pollen season,” says Anne Ellis, a professor in the department of medicine at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. “So if you’re allergic to both, late spring-early summer is not a ..read more

A flood warning is currently in effect for the French River and Lower Pickerel River watersheds. This warning will impact those within the unorganized townships of Mowat, Blair, and McConkey. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) announced the warning in a press release on April 25.  Flood warnings—more severe than flood watches—mean that flooding is imminent or already occurring. This warning will remain in effect until Friday, May 3.  Lake Nipissing experienced significant precipitation over the past few days, causing water levels and river flows in the French and L ..read more

With everything to unpack, fix, and maintain over the course of a cottage weekend, we deserve a good sleep. Unfortunately, the mattresses we “retire” at the cottage are often an uncomfortable afterthought. If you and your cottage guests are being poked and prodded by squeaky springs, here are four of the most comfortable mattresses to help you and your guests get a great night’s sleep. Douglas: the best bed-in-a-box Lugging a mattress to your cottage is no joke, especially if you have water-only access. That’s why the “bed in a box” trend has become so popular among vacation property owners. I ..read more

It should come as no surprise that Ontario cottage country aligns perfectly with the province’s core canoeing areas. From the Kawarthas to Temagami, ancient canoe routes weave in and out of cottage lakes and rivers across central Ontario, providing you with a new way to experience beloved areas and active adventures to share with family and guests. Here are seven simple routes for all levels of paddlers. Oxtongue River Escape the roadside sightseers on Highway 60 with an easy-to-plan day trip on the Oxtongue River. Beginners can paddle upstream from Algonquin Outfitters’ base on Oxtongue Lake ..read more

Ontario Provincial Police with the Orillia detachment are investigating the death of a man who washed up on the shore of Lake Couchiching on Wednesday, April 17. Shortly after 7 a.m., emergency workers responded to a report of a body near Cunningham Crescent in Severn Township. The 40-year-old man was found in a canoe partially submerged in the water and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are not disclosing his identity at this time. The death is not currently being deemed as suspicious, said provincial constable Johnathan Barrett in an email. “We want the public to be aware that the pol ..read more

Split between the townships of Huntsville and Lake of Bays sits Peninsula Lake—Pen Lake for short—a pristine, 2,000-acre lake home to a vibrant cottager community. The lake, however, is also known for its rocky outcroppings and shallow shoals. As a result, the Peninsula Lake Community Association (PLCA) maintains warning buoys near treacherous spots. But after years of careful maintenance, 10 of the lake’s 15 buoys are in need of replacing. As it turns out, buoys don’t come cheap. According to Lori Tersigni, the PLCA’s president, 10 buoys would cost approximately $9,000, a figure that falls be ..read more

A flood watch is currently in effect for the Parry Sound-Muskoka area. The Muskoka River and Severn River watersheds are expected to experience the brunt of the flooding, announced the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in a press release last Wednesday. The flood watch will also impact parts of the Black, Burnt, Gull, and Magnetawan watersheds. To assist residents experiencing flooding, the Town of Gravenhurst is offering a limited number of sandbags at two locations: the turnarounds at Severn River Road East and at Sunshine Court. After so much heavy rainfall our watershed is bursti ..read more

ATV owners will have to continue driving their vehicles outside Bracebridge, Ont.’s urban centre, according to the town council. In April 2023, Bracebridge resident Mike Owczarek presented council with a petition containing over 200 signatures asking the town to expand the boundaries ATVs are allowed to drive in. Currently, ATVs are allowed to drive on certain municipal roads in rural areas of Bracebridge, but not through the town’s urban core. Owczarek argued that this boundary prevented residents from accessing amenities, such as groceries and gas stations west of Hwy. 11 while on ATVs, forc ..read more

10155 522 Highway, Arnstein, Ont.  Landscape: Inland Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1 Lot size: 81.19 acres Living area: 1,460 sq. ft. List price: $837,500 Date listed: March 15, 2024 Realtor: Julie Rainville About the property Built more than 130 years ago, this three-bedroom homestead sits on 81 acres of land. But don’t its age fool you. Plenty of updates have been made since 2021, such as a new forced air propane furnace and a UV filtration system, optimizing the home for comfortable, modern living. The living, kitchen, and dining spaces are bright and homey, furnished ..read more

Let’s say you own a home and a cottage at the same time for 20 years. They have both increased in value by a similar amount. You sell your home (principal residence) tax-free and move into an apartment. At that moment, you now claim your cottage as your principal residence. A year later, you sell the cottage. Is the cottage sold tax-free, or do you still have to claim capital gains tax for all those 20 years it was “not” your principal residence? If so, then your tax-free “saving” is only the last year in which you did not own two places. Is this correct?—Mark, via email It’s almost correct. Y ..read more