The Manitoba government has put a two-year freeze on increases to service fees and Crown land rental fees for cottages in provincial parks. This announcement was made by Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox.
“The ability to enjoy our provincial parks is part of the fabric of our province,” Cox said. “Cottage owners know this very well and we made a promise to partner with them in reviewing current cottage fees. We believe cottage owners are prepared to pay their fair share and we want to take the time to develop a fee system that more accurately and transparently reflects service costs.”
Cottage fees cover a variety of services including garbage disposal, water and waste water, and road maintenance. Cottage owners and associations will be consulted and their input will help shape any future changes, the minister noted.
Rent is based on a percentage of appraised land values. Service fees are calculated annually based on the cost of delivering the service over the previous season. With the moratorium in place, cottagers in provincial parks will pay the same fees in 2017 and 2018 as they did in 2016, Cox said.
