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• Borden, Ladner, Gervais
  Website: www.blgcanada.com
  Something got your legal briefs in a knot? Then maybe the team at Borden Ladner Gervais can help. This law firm’s site has a number of free documents in categories that range from environmental to real estate law. Cottage association executives should read the quarterly "Not-for-Profit Law Alert." The Fall 2003 edition, for example, explains the implications of the new federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) privacy legislation for associations.
• Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
  Website: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca
  Still not sure how much of a bite capital gains tax will take out of your family’s nest egg? Then go straight to the source. You’ll find all the details and necessary forms for filing your return in the “Individuals” section of the tax department.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
  Website: www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca
  Whether it’s mould, insulation, windows, or any of dozens of other concerns for your second property, CMHC has an extensive free article library online. You can also order from its vast selection of books, pamphlets, and videos.
• Canadian Geographical Names Database
  Website: geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/index_e.php
  If you find yourself arguing about whether your cottage is on "MacGregor" or "McGregor" Bay, turn to Natural Resources Canada’s searchable Canadian Geographical Names Data Base for the definitive spelling. There are also maps and a distance chart.
• Energy Star
  Website: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energystar
  One of the downsides to owning a second property is the second set of utility bills that comes with it. Energy Star is an international rating program to identify energy-efficient appliances. (You may have already seen the logo; the word ‘Energy’ followed by a star.) Here, you can find out which products qualify, learn about rebate and incentive programs, and pick up tips on reducing your energy consumption, all of which will help take the bite out of your bills.
• Fish Habitat Advisory Group
  Website: www.fish-habitat.com
  Want to protect or just learn about the aquatic habitat at your cottage? Check out this site, run by federal and provincial agencies that oversee lakes and shorelines.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  Website: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
  The DFO, as it’s colloquially called, is the launching point for information on boating regulations and safety. Here you can read electronic copies of the Canada Shipping Act, Notices to Mariners, and the Safe Boating Guide. There are also links to the Canadian Coast Guard and Canadian Hydrographic Service’s sites and contacts for nautical chart dealers.
• Government of Canada
  Website: www.canada.gc.ca
  This is the central site for the federal government. Here you’ll find links to all departments and agencies.
• Health Canada, West Nile Virus
  Website: www.westnilevirus.gc.ca
  Does the lack of reliable information on West Nile Virus bug you? Take your questions to Health Canada’s official site on the subject. In addition to a thorough background on the history, symptoms, and treatment of the virus, the site provides advice on how to protect yourself. You can also download videos and brochures and view a cross-Canada map showing regions where dead birds have tested positive for the virus.
• Hydro One Networks
  Website: www.hydroonenetworks.com/en/about/our_services/power_outage_maps/default.asp
  Visit this site, administered by Hydro One, to determine if any power outages, planned or forced, have affected the supply at your cottage.
• Ministry of Health
  Website: www.healthyontario.com
  Sometimes nature can be a pain. Whether you’re dealing with a fishing hook in the thumb or an itchy brush with poison ivy, the provincial government’s online health-care database can offer treatment advice. Look up the nearest hospital or learn more about Telehealth Ontario, a toll-free program (866-797-0000) that connects you to a registered nurse from the cottage.
• Ministry of Natural Resources
  Website: www.mnr.gov.on.ca
  The “Water Resources” section has info on water levels and quality. The site also has links to provincial parks, the Leslie. M. Frost environmental centre, and contact information for local MNR offices, plus searchable database for ministry news and bulletins on everything from work permits to nuisance bears.
• Ministry of the Environment
  Website: www.ene.gov.on.ca
  Check out the air-quality index for three dozen monitoring stations around the province or find advice in fact sheets ranging from coping with well water shortages to gardening without chemicals.
• Ministry of Transportation
  Website: www.mto.gov.on.ca
  Cruise this site before you hit the road to view the Compass traffic cameras and read highway construction reports.
• MNR Bear Wise
  Website: www.bears.mnr.gov.on.ca
  This Ministry of Natural Resources site has a number of fact sheets on black bears, including one on what cottagers can do to keep bears away, and another on how to deal with a bear encounter. The site also contains a useful map showing that the area with the highest bear population density in the province (40-60 bears/100 km2) cuts a wide band through prime cottage country.
• Muskoka-Parry Sound Health Unit
  Website: www.mpshu.on.ca
  Covers a number of subjects concerning cottagers around the province, including rabies and West Nile virus. Under “Water Quality,” you’ll find articles on the various types of filtration systems and a step-by-step guide to disinfecting wells.
• National Office for Pollution Prevention
  Website: www.ec.gc.ca/nopp/docs/fact/en/p2cottage.cfm
  The National Office for Pollution Prevention, part of Environment Canada, publishes a cottage-specific Pollution Prevention Fact Sheet, found at this site. It offers tips for preventing the generation of pollution at the lake as well as some suggested activities to help protect natural resources through conservation and the efficient use of resources.
• Ombudsman Ontario
  Website: www.ombudsman.on.ca
  In March 2006, the Ontario Ombudsman, André Marin, released a special report investigating the property assessment process for tax purposes at the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation. Visit this website to download a PDF of his full report, and to listen to an archived webcast of his comments.
• Province of Ontario
  Website: www.gov.on.ca
  The government’s main page is a good starting point for provincial-level inquiries with a search engine and links to individual ministry sites.
• Rondeau Cottagers Association
  Website: www.rondeaucottagers.ca
  Rondeau Provincial Park, on the western shore of Lake Erie, is home to a thriving community of cottagers and an active cottagers’ association. Weather and marine conditions for the area are frequently updated on this site, as are border wait times at crossings across the country. Also includes real estate and trading post sections and a listing of community information and events.
• Tax Sale Properties
  Website: www.taxsaleproperties.com
  Ever wondered what happens to cottages when their owners can’t pay the taxes? Some end up selling for very low prices at tax sales. Visit this site to find out how tax sales happen, and how to attend one. (Note: Properties for sale are not listed on this site.)
• The Association of Municipalities of Ontario
  Website: www.amo.on.ca
  Not the most memorable address, but bookmark it and you’ll have links to the official websites for almost every town, city, region, and district in the province of Ontario.
• The Weather Network
  Website: www.weathernetwork.ca
  Rain, rain not going away? Check to see if there’s any sun on the horizon. There’s also a Marine Forecast for boaters. (For official Environment Canada weather and marine forecasts, visit www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca.)
• Township of the Archipelago
  Website: www.thearchipelago.on.ca
  The Township of the Archipelago spans an island-heavy chunk of the Georgian Bay coast. Their website includes a list of cottage associations in the region, information about safe burning and fire safety, and the fun page, Survivor: Archipelago, highlighting some of the extreme nature of the area, including bears, mosquitoes, and the famous massasauga rattler.

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