Cottagers’ Association Warns of Crushing Hydro Cost Changes

Cottagers Hydro

The Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA) has sent a letter to the Hon. Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Energy, highlighting grave concerns about the planned implementation of new electricity distribution rates in Ontario, and calling for the Minister’s intervention. 

FOCA cannot accept, and vigorously objects to, a plan that would see some of its 50,000 members receive a total bill increase of over 200%, when the separately planned “all-fixed” delivery charges program is put in place. The dramatic effect of moving to 100% fixed charges results in tremendous bill increases to many of the previous Seasonal class members, especially low-use electricity customers. 

 

In many cases, with these changes, residents will be paying more for electrical power than they pay in property taxes. Many are pensioners or on a fixed income and can simply not afford these changes. 

 

Read FOCA’s full comments here: http://foca.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/FOCA-letter-to-Chiarelli-SeasonalElimination2015-0721.pdf, and please help circulate this information throughout cottage country. 

 


Neptunus 650F Review

Neptunus 650F 400

By Andy Adams

Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.

We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario. 

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Destinations

The Other Virgin Islands

Sunset off St John

By Mark Stevens

I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.

A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.

Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.

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