'Completely surreal:' Angry Norfolk cottagers face $5,000 daily fine if they ignore COVID ban

A controversial health unit order barring cottage owners who live outside Haldimand-Norfolk from using their vacation homes in the two counties remains in force ... for now.

The order issued by Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, Haldimand-Norfolk's chief medical officer of health, threatens a $5,000 daily fine for violators and has drawn the ire of cottagers who say they are unfairly being kept from enjoying their own property.

The Long Point Ratepayers' Association has appealed the order, arguing that it singles out Haldimand-Norfolk cottagers.

We are calling for the cancellation of Dr. Nesathurai's order so that our members are treated the same as all other Ontarians with a cottage," said association president Karen Deans.

Nesathurai defended the move as consistent with provincial physical-distancing requirements to stay at home and avoid non-essential travel to limit the spread of COVID-19.

I think the vast majority of people will respect the order," Nesathurai said. It's about saving lives and ultimately improving the health of a community that is not well-resourced to manage a large outbreak of COVID-19."

But in a memo to the province's health units dated May 3, Ontario's chief medical officer of health said that expressly forbidding cottage occupancy was a stretch, even if the public health rationale behind Nesathurai's order was sound.

My current recommendation is to not prohibit access to secondary residences through legal order, but to continue to provide communications that discourage their use," Dr. David Williams wrote in the memo, which was obtained by The Spectator.

While he advised other health units not to follow Nesathurai's lead, Williams did not countermand the order issued in Haldimand-Norfolk.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford expressed skepticism that residents could be kept away from their vacation homes in Haldimand-Norfolk.

How do you tell people who are paying the taxes, paying the bills for the vast majority of the people there, to stay home?" Ford said. Do you have enough bylaw officers (and) police to support this? The answer's no, you don't."

But after a conference call with cottage country mayors, the premier changed his tone.

We had a really wholesome discussion with the mayors and I fully understand what they're facing day in and day out," Ford told reporters on Thursday.

The premier asked cottage owners to limit their visits unless they needed to maintain their properties, and to bring their own supplies to avoid the need to shop locally.

This isn't going to be the typical May 24 weekend. I'm asking you, please, don't bring a whole whack of people up," Ford said. Let's all work together and we'll get through this. There's going to be many more weekends where we can go up there and have a great time. Right now, just respect the rules."

Nesathurai said political calculations play no part in his decision-making, but there is political fallout to manage for Haldimand Mayor Ken Hewitt and his Norfolk counterpart, Kristal Chopp, who were both on the 90-minute call with the premier.

Haldimand's cottage country extends from Nanticoke to Lowbanks along the shore of Lake Erie. Hewitt said asking cottagers to stay away runs counter to all his political instincts to support local economic development and champion the region as a tourism destination

It's completely surreal to tell people Don't come and don't spend your money here,'" Hewitt said.

All the mayors in the smaller communities are desperate because they want to see their communities open up for the summer. But with that, one misstep can throw all that summer revenue out the door."

Hewitt said years of provincial cutbacks means Haldimand-Norfolk's health-care system can't easily handle an unusually large influx of patients.

In the event that we end up with a burst of cases in this pandemic, we don't have the infrastructure to meet that demand. That's the concern for our health unit," he said.

Nesathurai explained that the order allows for people within Haldimand-Norfolk to use their vacation homes because those residents are deemed less of a health risk than people travelling to the region from urban centres like Toronto, where there are more COVID-19 cases.

Irate property owners have called the mayor's office to complain.

As a cottage owner, I can appreciate that," Hewitt said. (Nesathurai's) position is: If I can save one life, it's a good decision.'"

Hewitt agreed with Ford's point that enforcing the health unit's order is a large challenge."

It's no different than the premier today asking the public to make the conscious decision to stay away from their cottages," Hewitt said. You can put all these orders and bylaws in place, but if nothing's enforced, then nothing changes."

The mayor said he is more concerned with the health risk posed by the day-trippers who flooded Port Dover and Dunnville over the weekend.

Cottagers, in my opinion, are going to behave just the same as they would in their homes," Hewitt said.

I don't see cottagers to be as much of a threat to the community as those coming for the day and not social distancing."

J.P. Antonacci's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.