Floating Accommodations

• Section 1 Administration and Interpretation

• clarify that the Zoning By-law applies to all lands, islands, watercourses, and navigable watercourses within the jurisdiction of the Corporation of the Township of Severn

• Section 3 General Provisions

• explicitly state that floating accommodations are not “Shoreline Structures” and are a prohibited use in any zone

• Section 11 Definitions

• revisions and additions to various existing definitions together with new definitions including Boat, Boathouse, Camping Unit, Floating Accommodation, Marina, Vessel, and Watercraft Equipped for Overnight Accommodation

Responsibilities:

• oversees navigable waterways, watercraft safety, and defines the requirements regarding vessels and the accompanying need for licence and registration

Responsibilities:

• controls recreational activities on provincial public lands and waters

Responsibilities:

• must consider environmental concerns, impact on local residents, and enforcement of municipal by-laws where the Township has jurisdiction, including noise complaints

Responsibilities:

• in addition to water management Parks Canada - TSW regulates and governs lands within their jurisdiction through a permitting process

Parks Canada released a Notice of Mooring Restrictions ((pursuant to Sections 4(2) and 40(4) of the Historic Canals Regulations) effective May 1, 2024. This notice relates to the mooring of floating accommodations on the Trent-Severn Waterway.

The notice will allow Parks Canada to exercise greater management control over floating accommodations. These new measures are in line with recent changes to the Province of Ontario’s regulations. These measures have been put in place following a period of public consultation. Under the notice, vessels may moor without Parks Canada authorization if they fall under the exemptions set out in the restrictions.

Many mooring situations remain the same and will not require special authorization, including the current regime for mooring at Ontario Waterway lock stations. Shoreline owners may continue to moor their vessels adjacent to their properties without the requirement for a mooring permit. Mooring of vessels at licenced marinas will also not require a permit.

The Notice of Mooring Restriction, along with a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions, is readily available on the Trent-Severn Waterway website at the following link: Notice of Mooring Restrictions. 

This resource can assist boaters in understanding the new regulations and determining if they meet the exceptions.  

For more information about the Trent-Severn Waterway, visit their website or follow them on social media @TrentSevernNHS

Parks Canada contact

Karen Feeley
A/External Relations Manager, Ontario Waterways
Parks Canada / Government of Canada
P.O. Box 567, 2155 Ashburnham Drive
Peterborough ON K9J 6Z6
Email: karen.feeley@pc.gc.ca

O. Reg 161/17 regulates the type of structure or things that may be used on public lands, as long as the conditions in the regulation are followed.

Structures include 'camping unit' had been defined as:

• a structure or vehicle that may be used for camping purposes or as an outdoor accommodation and includes a tent, trailer, tent-trailer, recreational vehicle, camper-back and any watercraft equipped for overnight accommodation.

O. Reg 161/17 was recently amended to clarify that floating accommodations cannot be placed or used for outdoor accommodation or camping purposes on public land covered by water. Ontario Regulation 326/94 was also amended to make the same clarification for non-residents camping on public land in northern Ontario.

Both amending regulations were filed with the Registrar on June 20, 2023 and are effective as of July 1, 2023.

The Public Lands Act provides for the creation and management of restricted areas by the Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry in parts of Ontario without municipal authority. In a restricted area, permits from NDMNRF are required undertake specific activities, whether this occurs on Crown or private lands. Activities that require a permit from MNR are identified in the development plan or guidelines that refer to each restricted area.