Proposal to charge $700 trailer permit fee sparks anger in northern Ont. community

A plan to charge trailer owners as much as $700 a year led to what can only be described as a contentious town hall meeting in the township of Sables-Spanish Rivers.

Council is looking at amending the current bylaw dealing with trailers and where they can be set up. Proposed changes would require a permit that could cost trailer owners $700 a year.

Mayor Kevin Burke spent much of the time trying to tell people that the bylaw is a necessary step to regulate who is in their community and what can be done to ensure they are maintaining a certain standard.

"I expected this,” said Burke.

“It wasn't a public meeting per se and it was about council bouncing decisions off each other and trying to form a permanent path for the new bylaw. But I did allow some input from the crowd and I'm glad we did. It's a contentious issue and there's a lot of emotion there.”

The mayor says there are two sides to the issue. On one side, there are people who are intimidated when there are too many trailers around residences, creating noise, sewage and garbage.

But he said there are also perfectly good people with trailers who are respectful and quiet.

Burke said they have to find a happy medium that addresses their predicament.

"As it was repeated many times tonight, when you don't have a bylaw, how can you enforce anything?” he said.

A plan to charge trailer owners as much as $700 a year led to what can only be described as a contentious town hall meeting in the township of Sables-Spanish Rivers. (Photo from video)

“The reason for this is so we can create a bylaw, have some rules and get control of this so we can keep everyone happy. Following some rules and protecting people.”

The long-time resident of the area said he's also concerned about getting a number of how many trailers have set up on vacant land.

He told the gallery there is a campground on Manitoulin Island in the process of closing down and 2,000 trailers will soon be looking for a new place to set up shop.

He wasn't sure that Sables-Spanish Rivers had enough room for an additional 2,000 trailers.

One of the more visibly upset residents was Adam Vondette, who had several questions for council members and challenged them on the need to charge money for a fee.

Vondette said he didn't disagree with the idea the community needs to have a bylaw in place.

FEE NOT REASONABLE

"(But) coming out and saying we're going to give you a $700 fee is not reasonable and we're going to fine you $300 if you don't comply," he told CTV News.

After hearing from members for more than an hour in the gallery, council voted to put the discussion on hold.

They plan to discuss the amendments further to hammer out such issues as price and the fact that they hadn't factored in the issue of hunters and fishermen.

There was even talk of putting together a committee of council and trailer owners.

"I think the no decision being made … was a good decision, and I do think we need a committee, we need a few people from our side to speak with our council," said trailer owner Laura Morrell.

STRAW POLL

A quick straw poll council conducted in the gallery found most would be in favour of a bylaw. The real question they wondered was how it would be rolled out.

French River passed one last year and other communities across northern Ontario are looking to do the same.

"People are happy to hear there's no annual fee anymore in one of the options. If you make changes to your property, then you can pay to have the building inspector come out and look at that," said Deputy Mayor Mike Mercieca.

Mercieca said he opposed the fees from the beginning, fear the move would look like a cash grab.

"This isn't right, property owners are paying their taxes,” he said.

Burke said he was optimistic that most people favoured a bylaw.

"I'm encouraged by tonight's meeting, it seemed positive," he said.

"There's some acceptance and I'm bridging the gap with some people."

Burke said they can't afford to wait and he's hopeful they can get this addressed within the month.

The township of Sables-Spanish Rivers has a population of 3,200.