In cottage country within the Haliburton Highlands, we have county bylaw officials that like to assume they have the authority to enforce bylaws that have been passed that affect "cutting down trees within 30m/100 feet of the shoreline".  I have yet to understand how private property can be regulated by a bylaw.  I own my trees and I own my property.  My township/county has no 'interest' in my land at all.  I was told I could be fined up to $10,000 per tree.  I kept cutting...   This overreach of regional powers has to come to an end!

I know Blue Mountains is undergoing a similar attempt for the fifth time. Grey Highlands chapter would know more about it.

Private Property IS protected from government authority through legislation.  The province only has control over 87% of the land mass in Ontario -- the rest is PRIVATE PROPERTY that was granted from the Crown to private individuals to become private property owners in the 1800's.  The Crown gave up all their rights, title and interest for the 13% of land parcels in this province to allow private individuals to develop and prosper from their own properties.  The province has "control" to manage their 87% of the land mass, but they don't own it -- the Crown owns it.  That is why we have "elections" in our government system.  The "elected" politicians (if they understood their roles) are elected to PROTECT the 13% of private property interests and to ensure GOVERNMENT does not overstep their authority (which is written in LAW) to control private property in addition to the public/crown properties.  IF the government had the lawful authority to regulate our trees, our land, etc on private property .... then why would there be a requirement for Elections?  There wouldn't be.  It would simply be dictatorship ... we would only be "tenants" on our properties ... not owners. We would have no rights.  It is written in various pieces of the Law ... the Legislation that governments (all levels) must comply to that they "must get the property owner's consent before they can do any public work on private property or regulate/restrict what the property owner does on his/her property".  The Legislation is written for "Government" to follow because they have 87% of the land mass to manage and control .... not 100%!  That's why it is written in the Forestry Act, that the province (and/or municipalities) "may" enter into agreements with the property owners regarding forestry purposes. That's why sec. 141 of the Municipal Act, states that "municipalities may plant trees on private property but with the owner's consent".  If government needs the owner's consent to plant trees on private property ... then what makes them believe they have the right to regulate trees on private property through bylaws?  They don't have that authority, but they imply they do.  If you allow them to keep repeating over and over again they have that authority ... then you believe it. READ THE LEGISLATION.  Government does not have authority to regulate Private Property.  Elected politicians need to LEARN their roles as they were intended .....to protect the Private Property interests from government intrusion.