‘We’re totally overlooked’: Northwestern Ontario fishing resorts hit hard by flooding
Vacation resort owners near Minaki, Ont., are drowning, both literally and financially, after flooding has left them operating below capacity or unable to open at all, and they feel helpless to do anything about it.
“We’re totally overlooked because of our location,” said Phil Reid, executive director of Reid’s Birch Island Resort. “We resort owners are pretty self-sufficient and don’t like asking for handouts, but we need help, now.”
Reid’s resort, a nearly three-hour drive from Winnipeg on Gunn Lake, is still partly underwater after massive spring flooding that saw nearby Kenora, Ont., evacuated in May. Heavy rains combined with a larger-than-usual snow thaw caused the Lake of the Woods and Winnipeg River systems to run at almost the highest levels on record.
Reid's Birch Island Resort before the flooding (top) and after (bottom). (Source: Phil Reid)“The water is up eight or nine feet from last year,” said Reid. “And there is no resort insurance for us, so the damage is all a loss.”
Eric Brown owns three fishing resorts on Lake of the Woods. Unlike Reid, he is currently open to guests, but is operating at about 75 per cent capacity.
He says the financial hit has still been significant, especially after the pandemic.
“The last two years have been awful, and to have this happen now is very difficult to take,” he said. “All of our docks have floated away, the damage is extensive.”
Brown says there is a federal financial assistance program in place, but the application process is not easy, and the deadline for this season has already passed.
“It’s just so cumbersome,” he said. “There are so many details, and I just don’t have the time.”
The resorts are located in the Unorganized Kenora District in Northwestern Ontario, and therefore do not have an MP, MLA, or any local government.
Brown says he has reached out to the office of the Kenora member of parliament, but was told there is nothing they can do.
CTV News Winnipeg has also reached out to the Kenora MP for comment, but have not heard back.
In the meantime, all Reid can do is wait for the water to go down and hope for no rain.
“We’re hoping to be open by August,” he said. "That's the frustrating part, not being able to do anything."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.