From the Township of Lake of Bays
The Township has launched a webpage with resources and a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding Roads License Agreements for properties accessed via Unopened Road Allowances.
An Unopened Road Allowance is a surveyed road allowance owned by the municipality that does not contain a Township Road. Meaning that it has never been formally “opened” or established as an actual public road or highway through construction and legal assumption by the Municipality. Some residents who access their properties via privately maintained roads/driveways located on these road allowances have already received letters requiring them to enter into a Roads License Agreement with the Municipality. These agreements aim to manage liability and risk for the Township, private owners, and Lake of Bays taxpayers.
In response to community feedback, the new webpage provides clear and detailed information addressing common questions and concerns from affected property owners. Key topics covered include:
- Why Roads License Agreements are required
- Legal basis for these agreements
- Explanation of what constitutes an unopened road allowance
- Overview of the Roads License Agreement process
- Standards for road maintenance and safety
- The risks to private owners, the Township, and Lake of Bays taxpayers associated with not having an agreement in place
- Current roads identified as Unopened Road Allowances
- And more
The Township hopes that this centralized webpage will clarify common questions and misconceptions the public may have regarding Roads License Agreements. For more information and to view the new page, visit LakeofBays.on.ca/RoadsLicenseAgreement.
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Bri Lavoie says
This amounts to the township demanding that residents and cottagers PAY thousands of dollars to fully survey, upgrade, insure and use a class 6 highway (unassumed single track, dirt road with fewer than 50 vehicles/day traffic) on a road allowance. This is the time to sell and just leave Muskoka. The residents on Pine Lane (Chub lake near Paint lake) have already PAID to maintain our seasonal road to keep it safe for decades, and now the township wants to come in and demand we double the size to their standard for a road that is barely used? The only person who could possibly afford the thousands of dollars this will cost is the one commercializing their property as airbnb ($450/night)–certainly, Tax them–but residents of Muskoka (or seasonal cottagers who pay heavily to subsidize year round Muskoka services while not using them for 3/4 of the year) are being unfairly forced out and threatened with heavy fines for tresspassing for using our own cottages. See: https://cottagelife.com/general/lake-of-bays-threatens-trespassing-charges-for-residents-who-refuse-to-sign-road-access-agreement/
Andrew Mullins says
What this is, a cash grab by the Township without having to show tax increases, all while having a small group of property owners upgrade a road for the Township, provide maintenance for the Township, insure the property for the Township, all on public property for a road open to the public. We have paid taxes for many, many years without any services in return (no garbage collection, no road construction, no maintenance, no snow plowing) and now the Township wants more. Last time I checked, I do not work for the Township or their Public Works department, nor do my neighbours.
It is absurd that a road open to the public, that must remain open to the public, is to have all costs be downloaded to a select group of individuals.
With the constant dialogue about concerns of liability, it would be good to know how many lawsuits the Township have had that have precipitated this.
Andrew Mullins says
Note, the Township has updated the FAQ and answered the question about the lawsuits and cases driving the liability concerns, not surprisingly, with no cases….