CENTRAL MANITOULIN—Following significant debate, Central Manitoulin council approved a request made by Blaine Williamson and Judith Bronicheski to remove beaver-damaged trees and to replant new trees on the municipal shoreline allowance.
The motion coming as a recommendation from the property committee reads, “That we recommend to council that the request from Blaine Williamson and Judith Bronicheski regarding removal of shoreline trees dated May 14 and 29, 2025 be received and further that permission to remove the beaver damaged trees and to replant new trees on municipal shoreline be granted.”
That motion was carried.
A second request to remove the trees on rotten trees on municipal shoreline property adjacent to 120 McNiven Street, Providence Bay was made by D. Zaluski, with the inclusion that prior to the removal of the trees, the proponents would be required to submit a replanting plan for replacement of the removed trees.
A request to split the motion was made.
Councillor Derek Stephens, who made the original motion, objected to the splitting of the motion into two parts, one to remove the trees and the second regarding replanting. He pointed out the motion was no different than the previous one.
The clerk explained the split can be requested by any council member as per the procedural bylaw should the bylaw have a natural splitting point, which it was determined is the case in this bylaw proposal.
Concerns were raised about the stability of the shoreline, should those trees be removed. It was determined that the gabions in place would suffice to maintain the shore.
Following some further debate, Mayor Richard Stephens indicated he was tired of hearing about trees and called the question.
