Misery Bay is a young landscape. The area was covered by the Laurentide Ice Sheet 20,000 years ago. It was only exposed 10,000 years ago, with most of the area being inundated with glacial lake water 4,000 years later.[2] The land has been slowly rising since then as it is no longer weighed down by the glacier.[3]
The land surrounding Misery Bay was privately owned, purchased by the Sifferd family in 1959.[4] They recognised its significance and worked to protect it. A visitor's centre was built in 1982,[5] and the land donated to Ontario Parks in 1989.[4]
Provincial park[]
In 1989,[6] Ontario created a provincial park containing Misery Bay and the surrounding forests. It covers 1,079[6] hectares and features 15 km of coastal and inland trails. A volunteer group, the Friends of Misery Bay, runs the visitor centre and maintains the park.[7] Misery Bay is the only provincial park that is entirely volunteer-run.[8]
Park Rules[]
Summary of Provincial Park Offences[]
There is one basic rule in Ontario Parks: Have respect and consideration for your fellow visitors and the park environment. The following table lists some of the more common laws enforced in provincial parks. Under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006, the registered permit holder is responsible for the conduct of all campsite occupants and could be charged with an offence based on the actions of the occupants of the registered campsite. The Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 and other legislation governing behavior in provincial parks can be reviewed at provincial park offices and on the e-Laws website at www.ontario.ca/laws. These laws are enforced by provincial park wardens who have all the power and authority of a member of the Ontario Provincial Police within a provincial park. Many of the listed offences could result in eviction from a provincial park. Evicted visitors are prohibited from re-entering any provincial park for a period of 72 hours. Minimum fines listed below do not include court costs or victim fine surcharge.
Offences
Explanation
Alcoholic Beverages
Minimum
Fine
- Having liquor in open container in other than residence (campsite)
$100.00
- Consuming liquor in other than residence
$100.00
- Driving or having care or control of a motor vehicle with open or unsealed container of liquor
$175.00
- Person under 19 years having liquor
$100.00
- Being intoxicated in a public place
$50.00
- Unlawfully have liquor in listed park (during liquor ban)
$100.00
If you are 19 years of age or older, you are permitted to possess or consume liquor (beer, wine, spirits) only on a registered campsite.
Drivers are responsible for ensuring that liquor is properly stored while in a vehicle. Liquor must be in a container that is unopened and the seal unbroken or is packed away and not accessible to any person in the vehicle.
Many parks enforce a complete liquor ban on Victoria Day and for the preceding ten days. A liquor ban is also in effect at Sibbald Point Provincial Park on Labour Day and for the preceding four days. During these time frames, possession of liquor is prohibited everywhere within parks imposing the liquor ban.
Rowdyism / Noise
Minimum
Fine
- Use discriminatory, harassing, abusive or insulting language or gestures
$150.00
- Make excessive noise
$150.00
- Disturb other persons
$150.00
- Operate audio device in prohibited area
$75.00
Provincial parks are established to provide a setting for peaceful and natural experiences. Rowdy behaviour, which includes excessive noise, or obscene language or gestures, is not permitted. You cannot disturb any other person or interfere with their enjoyment of the park any time of the day or night.
Operation of an audio device (such as a radio, stereo, TV, etc.) in a radio-free area is prohibited.
Storing Wildlife Attractants
Minimum
Fine
- Unlawfully store wildlife attractants
$125.00
Do not maintain or store potential wildlife attractants, including food or beverages, food preparation or storage equipment, cooking devices or utensils, garbage or recycling products, scented products or any other item in a manner that is likely to attract wildlife.
Refuse
Minimum
Fine
- Litter or cause litter
$125.00
- Fail to keep campsite / facility clean
- Fail to restore campsite / facility to original condition
Deposit all garbage and litter in the containers provided to discourage wildlife from becoming pests. Campsites and/or facilities must be kept clean at all times to eliminate potential hazards to parks visitors and minimize human-wildlife conflict.
Vehicles
Minimum
Fine
- Unlawfully take motor vehicle into park or possess or operate it
$125.00
- Speeding –more than 20 km/hr
$100.00
- Operate vehicle off roadway
$125.00
- Disobey stop sign
$85.00
(plus 3 demerit points)
Off-road vehicles are not permitted in provincial parks because of the environmental damage they cause.
Licensed motor vehicles may be operated on roads only. You must follow the rules of the road and remember that the Highway Traffic Act applies on all park roads. Each vehicle in the park must have a valid provincial park permit. Bicycles are only allowed on park roads and on designated bike trails.
Parking
Minimum
Fine
- Park vehicle in area not designated
$30.00
- Park vehicle in prohibited area
- Fail to display permit on parked vehicle
All vehicles must park in a designated area and display a valid park permit.
You must prominently display your valid park permit on your dashboard.
Pets
Minimum
Fine
- Permit domestic animal to be without leash
$75.00
- Permit domestic animal to make excessive noise
- Permit domestic animal to be in designated swimming area or on a beach
- Permit domestic animal to disturb people
- Permit domestic animal to be in a posted prohibited area
For the protection of wildlife and other park visitors, your pet must be under control and on a leash not exceeding 2 metres at all times. You must ensure your pet does not damage or interfere with vegetation or wildlife. You must also ensure your pet does not interfere with others’ enjoyment of the park. Pets are not permitted in the swimming area, on the beach or in a posted prohibited area at any time.
Environmental Protection
Minimum
Fine
- Damage / deface / remove Crown property
$125.00
- Disturb / harm / remove natural object
$125.00
- Disturb / cut / remove / harm plant or tree
$125.00
- Kill plant or tree
$150.00
- Disturb / kill / remove / harm / harass animal
$150.00
To maintain the park as a natural setting, the removal of natural objects is prohibited. All vegetation, wildlife and natural features are protected in provincial parks. Cutting any live growth or damaging any natural or other object is prohibited. You may not take any fallen or dead wood from a provincial park for the purpose of a campfire or other such intent.
Camping Permit
Minimum
Fine
- Fail to vacate and remove property from campsite on permit expiry
$75.00
- Unlawfully occupy campsite
$125.00
- Camp over time limit
$75.00
You are required to vacate and remove all property from your campground campsite or interior campsite by 2:00 p.m. on the date your permit expires so that others may have access to it. The maximum length of stay on a provincial park campground campsite is 23 consecutive nights and 16 consecutive nights on an interior campsite to ensure park visitors have an equal opportunity to enjoy our campsites and limit environmental impact.
Camping Equipment / Persons
Minimum
Fine
- Place more than 3 pieces of shelter equipment on campsite
$75.00
- Place more than one tent trailer, travel trailer or self-propelled camping unit on campsite
- Excessive number of persons occupying campground campsite / interior campsite
Without a limit on the amount of camping gear allowed, campsites would quickly deteriorate, becoming larger, eventually destroying the surrounding vegetation.
The maximum number of campers allowed per campground campsite is six persons and the maximum number of campers allowed on an interior campsite is nine persons.
Campfires
Minimum
Fine
- Start or tend fire other than in fireplace or designated place
$150.00
- Start or tend fire where notice of fire hazard is posted
Fireplaces are designated by park staff for safety reasons. Restricting fires to these locations greatly reduces the risk of forest fires. For the prevention of forest fires, a park superintendent may give notice of a fire hazard and implement a fire ban. At any time during a fire ban no person is permitted to have a fire unless otherwise stated by the park superintendent.
Fireworks
Minimum
Fine
- Possess fireworks
$100.00
- Ignite fireworks
$150.00
Possession or use of fireworks is prohibited in provincial parks at all times. They constitute a fire hazard and disturb visitors and wildlife who wish to enjoy the park in a peaceful manner.
Hours of Closing
Minimum
Fine
- Enter park after closing
$125.00
- Remain in park after closing
Only registered campers are allowed in a provincial park during the posted hours of closing.
