Some tourist lodge owners in northwestern Ontario are accusing the Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association of being a lap dog for the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Paul Boucher says he's angry because the outfitters association negotiated an 800 percent increase in land use permit fees for camp owners.
"There was talk of something as far back as the mid-9o's," says Boucher, "but nobody knew what it was. No one saw it coming. There were no questionnaires sent out or solicitation of any kind. In the end, they did ask for proposals. I gave them one and they didn't like it."
NOTO's executive director Doug Reynolds says there was extensive consultation with camp owners and feels it negotiated the best deal possible.
