Author: Bob Hall

During the 2025 seasonal renewal meetings that took place over the Labour day weekend, there were several questions asked by campers. To ensure everybody has the same answer to critical questions, we have created this post which is available to current seasonal campers. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please book an appointment to discuss with us.

Q: Why were the rates on lots 26 to 36 (backside of the campground) increased this year when none of the other lot’s rates were increased?

A: Last season the Owner determined the rates for each group of units ??or sites or lots?? in the campground. At that time, significant increases were made to the other sites and, to lower the impact on the back sites, the ones listed above were only marginally increased. The additional fee increase this season brought them in line with the other sites.

Q: Our fees feel high for the value we get from the campground. Please explain.

A: White Lake Campground is a private seasonal campground free of the burden of transient campers. We do not have additional charges for visitors, screened-in rooms, additional refrigerators etc. like other campgrounds do. Every site in the campground enjoys either water access or water views as well as unrestricted access to the beach, boat launch (for seasonal campers only) etc. As we are able, new amenities are being added (laundry room this season) and we have many others planned.

Q: I have multiple boats, thus multiple boat trailers. Why am I charged for additional boat trailers? Also, why am I not able to store my boat / trailers etc. for free like I have in the past? This seems like a cash grab by the campground.

A: There are several answers to these questions.  We have tried to break them down below:

1. If you have multiple boats, there is no additional charge during the camping season for those trailers to be stored in the boat trailer storage area but they must be registered and are left at your own risk. This does not include other types of trailers. We are a campground, not a storage facility! Depending upon the circumstance and nature of use for the trailer, an exception may be made.
2. During the off-season, you do not have a valid License of Occupation for the campground. By paying the deposit for the following season you are extended the courtesy of being allowed to store your camping unit, deck, shed etc. on the campground property at no extra charge. You may store your boat trailers on your own lot from October 15th through the first weekend in May of the next camping season, however, they must be moved to the boat trailer parking area after that time. Additionally, when placed on your lot, they must be placed in such a way as to not block your neighbour’s view for the remainder of the season, regardless if they have closed up already.Boats or trailers left in the boat trailer storage area will be moved after the last Sunday of October to the tree line and will remain there until campground opening operations take place in the following April. In addition, if your trailer is left in the boat trailer storage area you will be charged $250.00 plus HST per trailer. These trailers must be covered by your insurance and are left in this area at your own risk. The treelined area is monitored by a camera and, once the snow falls, is inaccessible so the risk is lower.
3. We do not allow the storage of trailers/boats etc. for people who do not have a current Licence of Occupation (hereafter referred to as LOO) from the campground for the upcoming season.
4. If you have additional trailers that you want to leave at the campground during the Summer, the cost is $250.00 plus HST per trailer and, as mentioned above, $250.00 plus HST per trailer during the off-season. These trailers must be covered by your insurance and are left in this area at your own risk.

Q: Why are we not allowed to have garden tractors? This seems like unfair targeting of campers.

A: After discussion with the Owner and taking into consideration the amount of space that a trailer and deck takes up, and that lot sizes are 50 feet wide by between 75 and 110 feet long, it was decided there is no real need for the use of a garden tractor.  The Owner does appreciate, however, that there are some campers with handicaps or disabilities that may impact their ability to push a lawnmower.  In these circumstances, we encourage you to reach out to Management if you need assistance.

Q: The Campground office is not properly accessible for people with disabilities. Is this a human rights violation?

A: The campground does not have an office that is open to the general public and that maintains regular business hours. Each seasonal camper has signed and/or renewed their annual (LOO) with that knowledge in mind as well as with the knowledge that there is no accessibility for wheel chairs, etc. If requested, we will do our best to accommodate any special needs requirements temporarily for meetings in the office.

Q: The rules around driver licenses are confusing. Please explain.

A: If an individual does not have a full valid G drivers license or is under the age of 19, they are not permitted to drive a street legal vehicle or golf cart in the campground. Exception: if a young G1 or G2 driver is driving with adult supervision to the campground for a weekend of camping, they can drive the vehicle through the gate to their site.

Q: The banning of personal use surveillance cameras is unfair. We should be allowed to monitor our sites if we want to.

A: The campground has cameras strategically set up throughout the campground for the purpose of maintaining the best possible security. They are configured to ensure the right to privacy of each camper and enabled only when Management is off-site.

Personal use cameras on sites that are 50 feet wide by 75 – 110 feet long (max) will pick up video and sound from surrounding campers as well as people walking on the roads etc. After consultation with other campgrounds and feedback from a survey of our campers, the decision was made to discontinue use of personal use cameras during the camping season.

Note:  A camera inside your unit that does not face outside or into your neighbour’s site is acceptable. Cameras are permitted off-season for the purpose of monitoring your own site and may not point to other camper’s sites.

Q: The new Licence of Occupation (LOO) speaks of police and vulnerable sector checks.  Many companies don’t do this for their employees, why would this be done at a campground?

A: The safety and security of our seasonal campers, their children and guests is of utmost importance in our campground. As the campground is entering into a business agreement with potential (or existing) campers, we reserve the right to do reference checks, financial checks or request the provision of criminal / public sector vulnerability checks before engaging or renewing each season. Requesting criminal record and vulnerability checks may seem an unnecessary step, however, it is important for us that vulnerable children and seniors are protected, as much as possible.

Q: An 8% service charge is excessive for the sale of my trailer – you are not real estate agents. What do I get for my money? Additionally, I am now required to have an external inspection which costs me money and why am I not able to sell my unit to whomever I want without any input or involvement from Management, just like any other mobile home park.

A: There are several answers to this question:

1. White Lake Campground is a seasonal campground and not a Mobile Home Park.  There is no Lease or Residential Tenancy Agreement.  As such, the governing agreement is the agreement between you and the campground, ie your signed (LOO) and associated Schedules.
2. The dollar amount you receive for the sale of your trailer at a seasonal campground far exceeds the amount you would receive trading your trailer in or selling it in outside the Campground – in some cases, 4 or 5 times the amount. By selling it at the campground, you enjoy the extra profit from your sale. As the campground is a private business, the Owner is with in their rights to apply any type of service charge they choose, including that for the sale of a trailer that remains on the property.
3. In exchange for the 8% service charge, not only are you are able to sell your camper on site, you also receive a listing on the Campground website.

• Management will do all they can to assist you in the sale of your unit, including approving potential candidates in advance of sale. Management will work with you to jointly show the trailer and the campground property, or show for you if you are unavailable.
• It remains critical that the campground is involved in the sale of your unit to ensure potential purchasers are aware of the campground guidelines, the environmental hold and other important components.
• All transactions must take place in the campground office and be witnessed by Management. Other than witnessing the transaction, the campground is not involved in the financial portion of the sale.  All monies received from the purchaser will go directly to you.
• You are responsible for ensuring that all amounts owed to the campground (Hydro, Transfer Fee, taxes, etc.) are paid prior to the new owner being issued a LOO and granted access to the campground.
• An inspection by an approved external RV technician is required to ensure that your unit is in resale condition. In the past, sales have taken place and the new owners have had hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in work that needed to be done and the unit sale would not have been approved had this been known.

Q: I hardly use my electricity or camper yet my hydro bill was exceptionally high. What is going on? Has somebody tampered with my hydro? Did the campground change my meter? Was my meter misread?

A: The answer is simple.  The rate of electricity increases based on what we are charged by Hydro One. As a commercial property, our rates are different than the published residential rates. We do not recover the delivery fees charged monthly by Hydro One and, aside from an annual meter reading fee, we charge only for the KW/hr that is consumed by your site.
You can easily calculate your electrical bill by looking at the meter reading on the previous bill and subtract it from the reading that was taken on the 15th of August.

There are many hidden energy consumers in your unit.  Please consider:

• Multiple refrigerators or freezers increase hydro consumption, depending upon their location and age.
• Older 12 volt refrigerators are not very efficient. Try switching to propane or 120 volt power.
• Computer chargers, phone chargers, charging of electrical vehicles / golf carts, outside decorative lights (even LED) consume hydro.
• Portable AC units, fans, heaters in the spring/fall quickly add to consumption levels.

Q: There are several references with respect to updates and amendments, their frequency and how they will be delivered. Can you please explain?

A: Throughout the course of the season, it is possible there may be updates or amendments to the LOO and the associated Schedules. These changes will be communicated directly via email and, if considered critical, will also be delivered via Canada Post and/or in person. Updates will also be posted on the campground website.

Q: The way I read the LOO, I am now responsible for the cost to have my own septic being pumped out – that is not what I expected.

A: The campground does not yet have a communal septic system. As a result, sites are set up with in-ground tanks that, in most cases, leach processed waste into the ground.  They work much like a residential septic system and, if properly treated, will continue to work for a long time.

It is critical that every camper uses Septobac in their system on a weekly basis. This creates the bacteria needed to break down the waste in the tank. The tanks are sufficient enough to support use by the seasonal camper and their family but are not designed for excessive use, as can happen with many visitors.

If a system stops working and needs to be pumped, under regular conditions, this would be considered the “emergency” pump out that is included in your seasonal fees. If the system stops working because you are not putting chemicals down or have an excessive amount of visitors, this is considered NOT normal use and you will be billed for the pump out. The campground will not pump out your tank simply because you want it pumped out unless you are willing to pay for it – based on our contract with the pumping company, the cost per occurrence is $300.00

Q: My septic pipes are leaking when I dump my tanks. When will you come and replace them?

A: You are responsible for the connection from your unit to the pipe to the septic system.  If the campground sees that any pipes are leaking, we are mandated to correct it – as are you. You will be billed $100.00 for the time and materials to complete rectify the problem.

Q: I am unclear on the difference between non-renewal and cancelled/terminated License of Occupation.

A: If you decide not to renew your LOO for the following season, your unit and personal property must be removed no later than October 1st of the same camping season. You may not resell the trailer.   If you change your mind and the site is still available for the following season, you can pay the deposit and a late fee of $250.00 plus HST.

If your site is not renewed by the campground for the following season, your unit cannot be resold and must be removed no later than October 1st of the same camping season.

If your LOO is terminated by the campground  during the camping season, for any reason, your camping privileges will be immediately suspended and the unit must be removed from the campground no later than the date given at the time of termination.

Q: Why does the campground not accept eTransfer. This is 2024 – all businesses accept eTransfer.

A: While we work continually with the Owner to streamline and improve the process for camper payments, at this time, the only payment options are bank draft or personal cheque. We do not accept cash or etransfer for seasonal fees.

Q; Can the tent be used for non-campground events and what are the rules?

A: If the tent is not being used for campground organized events, it can be booked for use by seasonal campers for small personal parties or gatherings, etc. The campground is not equipped to support large events such as large parties/weddings etc.

There are no public washrooms in the campground.  The washroom in the laundry room may only be used when doing your laundry or during campground organized events. The rules of the Campground apply, eg quiet time, etc.  Alcohol is allowed in the tent area only. Depending upon the circumstances, the campground may allow a porta pottie rental to be placed on the property.

Q: In the LOO it talks about winter off season use. Can you please explain the conditions. Why is there a cost and what is it?

A: The campground is officially closed from the last Sunday in October until the first of May. This is a requirement due to our zoning as a seasonal campground. We are fully closed with no camper access during the month’s of November and April with no exceptions. From December 15th through to March 31st, the owner graciously allows what we call “occasional off season use” this means that (unlike other campgrounds) you can take advantage of the property and spend time at your unit. This is not the same as the campground being open and you are not covered by your annual LOO, instead, you are granted temporary short term visitation to the property because you have a signed LOO for the coming camping season. There is no water and although the hydro is left on and in many cases you septic system will work fine (if treated), nothing is guaranteed including road clearing and access to your site via vehicles. The cost and time required to clear the roads to visitor parking is not minuscule,  and depending upon the weather can take a long time to complete. in previous years we cleared only to the Visitor Parking and have slowly added to that when possible – last year we added snow fence in an effort to reduce drifting and groomed trails along the roads to pack the snow and make it easier to access the sites. If enough people show interest and are willing to contribute to the cost, we will ensure that the campground roads are cleared for the weekends and at other times in a best effort scenario – nobody lives at the campground so when snow happens, the roads will not be cleared until somebody approved to use our equipment is available. The fee and contract is not yet completed however a notification will go out when it is.

Q: In the LOO it states that if I sell my unit in May (as an example) I forfeit the fees I paid for the remainder of the season as they are not transferable.  The new owner must pay prorated fees for the remainder of the season. That is not fair.

A: White Lake Campground is a business.  You enter into a non-transferable contract each season with the campground. When you sell your unit you terminate your contract with the campground and the fees are nonrefundable. The purchaser is engaging in a new contract with the campground and, as such, they will be required to pay a prorated fee for the remainder of the season in order to camp. This is not uncommon for seasonal campgrounds in Ontario.

Q: I have a site on the water and I’m confused about docks, repair, replacement, size, etc. I see an imbalance in the campground. Please explain.

A: This is a multi-part answer.

• Any new docks coming into the campground must be floating docks. They should also be manufactured as opposed to what? and cannot contain any form of material that can impact the ecology of the lake water.
• The campground is a business, not private property and has different regulations imposed on it from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Province and the Municipality. Navigating these regulations is complicated and, in some cases, not well defined.
• Each dock request is considered on a case by case basis and many factors are taken into consideration, including, when necessary, obtaining approval from the authorities. We have a square footage maximum we are not allowed to exceed and need to be fair to all water front sites.
• Having dockage at your site is a privilege, not a right and, as such, there is no guarantee that the governing authorities will not revoke the ability to have docks by campers or change the rules at any time.  We should be careful not to push the limits and it’s important to respect the fact they are trying to protect the ecology of the lake and the shoreline.
• The arbitration results in 2020 included a clause that the Municipality wanted communal docks put in by the campground and all “personal” camper docks removed. We are working to have this clause changed but, in order to avoid this being enforced, we have not put in communal docks. It is the hope of the Owner that this will not be enforced.

Q: I am a licensed gun owner and hunter.  Why am I not permitted to have my gun at the campground?

A: Hunting and the use of any type of weapon is not permitted on campground property. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Q: I don’t understand age limits on trailers. They can be financed for 20 years so why is there an age limit of 10 years if i still owe money on my trailer? If I own a cottager is there an age limit?

A: This is a multi-part answer.

All units in the campground are considered recreational vehicles. Even the larger Cottagers (12 feet wide or greater) are considered recreational and not Mobile Homes. As such, age restrictions are in place for units coming into the campground and for units that can be resold.

• • Cottagers (12 feet wide or greater) have an expected life of at least 20 years, at this time. However, approval to resell at any age is not guaranteed if the unit does not pass an external 3rd part certified RV technician inspection, is not in good shape or if your LOO has been terminated by the Campground for any reason.
  • Camper trailers (8 feet wide) have a shorter life cycle. Although you can finance them for 15 years that does not mean they are resale worthy for that period. As a result, there is a limit of 10 years for entry into the campground or resale in the campground. Occasionally, depending upon the circumstances, exceptions on the age may be made. There are varying factors around this and is at the sole discretion of the Owner.

Q: Is there favouritism towards certain campers in the campground? It seems if you bought a Northlander or where you are located the rules are different. I spoke to my neighbours about this and they feel the same. Please explain.

A: Most importantly,  there is no favouritism or discrimination in White Lake Campground. Every camper is bound by the same LOO and associated Schedules. We do our best to enforce the rules, when necessary, the same way with all campers.
Because we do not “police” the campground, we are not always aware of issues or situations unless they are brought to our attention. We encourage campers to work with each other and if a resolution is not found, engage management to intervene.

With respect to Northlander trailer sales, it is correct that the campground is now be selling these trailers and although it may appear people buying Northlanders  get additional exceptions or are able to ‘do more’ on their lots, it is not the case. Regardless of who you are, any request for a change or exception, is treated with the same process of evaluation and approval/denial.

Please be mindful that everybody who camps at WLCG is here for relaxation, to enjoy the summer at the lake, to take advantage of the nice weather and the beautiful property.  We all want to be able to enjoy our trailers and our surroundings without  drama so if you have a concern or issue with a neighbour or with the campground rules or regulations, please make an appointment to meet with Management and discuss it rather than complaining.

 

A Personal Note from Kim and I

As we continue to manage the Campground, please note it is not a full time job and we are campers here as well. Our goal is to make your experience the best it can be and have a self-sustaining supportive campground family.