The Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition is calling on Ontario to cut property taxes for
landowners who protect and restore natural areas along Lake Simcoe and its rivers, streams and
wetlands.
The Coalition’s new policy paper, Cutting Taxes to Protect the Lake, proposes a provincial pilot that would reward voluntary conservation, support farmers and fully reimburse municipalities for lost property-tax revenue.
“Cutting taxes to protect the lake is an idea this government should be able to get behind,” said Jonathan Scott, Executive Director of the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition. “It respects private property, rewards voluntary action and recognizes farmers as partners in conservation. This is environmental policy tailor-made for a government that believes in lower taxes and practical solutions.”
Lake Simcoe is central to the economic, cultural and social life of the rapidly growing communities around it. It supports fishing, boating, tourism and local businesses, provides drinking water and brings people together at beaches, parks and waterfronts. It holds deep significance for Indigenous communities and generations of families whose lives and traditions are connected to its waters.
“Lake Simcoe is where people earn a living, gather with friends and teach their children to fish or paddle,” said Scott. “Protecting it means protecting something that makes our communities worth living in. Its health matters to our economy and to our quality of life.”
Natural vegetation along shorelines and streams can help intercept phosphorus and sediment, reduce erosion and provide wildlife habitat. But restoring and maintaining these areas costs money, and much of the land is privately owned.
Under the proposed Lake Simcoe Riparian Stewardship Tax Incentive Pilot:
Landowners would receive a property-tax exemption on qualifying naturalized areas in exchange for a ten-year stewardship agreement. Homes, cottages, farm buildings and other improvements would remain taxable.
Ontario would fully reimburse municipalities for forgone municipal tax revenue. Restoration assistance would help landowners establish healthy shorelines and streambanks.
Participating farmers would receive an additional provincially funded annual stewardship payment to recognize the costs of retiring eligible agricultural land and maintaining it for conservation.
The pilot would build on Ontario’s existing Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program, with a capped three-year enrolment period and monitoring to assess participation, environmental results and public costs.
“We ask landowners to look after places that benefit everyone,” said Scott. “A farmer who restores a streambank or a homeowner who replaces shoreline lawn with native vegetation takes on costs and responsibilities. This proposal would give them a practical reason to take that step and support them in keeping it healthy.”
The Coalition is submitting the proposal to Ontario’s ministers of Finance and the Environment, Conservation and Parks, with copies to other relevant ministers, watershed representatives and opposition critics. It is requesting a meeting to discuss the pilot’s design and implementation.
“There should be room for agreement across party lines on cleaner water, support for farmers and targeted tax cuts,” said Scott. “The Province has an opportunity to turn tax relief into a lasting investment in Lake Simcoe.”