Ontario Hansard - 27-April2004

Ms Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): I rise today to bring forward to the House an issue that is of concern to my riding and also of concern to many people in other ridings across the province. The bed and breakfast operators are considering whether they can continue to operate because of provincial drinking water regulations. Many of these people, who open up part of their homes to guests for only a few days each year, are being classified as small non-residential public facilities for the purposes of the regulations.

Yesterday, I met with representatives of the Federation of Ontario Bed and Breakfast Accommodation and heard first-hand about the impact that regulation 170/03 will have on people who operate bed and breakfasts. In my own riding, I have been in contact with bed and breakfast operators who do not understand why a private resident who occasionally rents a room or two would be classified as anything except residential.

I urge the government to take another look at this regulation and to remember the role that bed and breakfasts have as part of Ontario's tourism industry and the impact that bed and breakfasts have on local economies.

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