Bruce Beach Canada

Residents near the Apostle Islands in Northern Wisconsin worry that conversion to a national park would overwhelm their small towns along their lake and limit hunting. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Ten years ago, Toledo warned about half a million residents not to drink the water for nearly three days due to algal toxins. Thus far, some studying Erie say we haven’t flexed enough muscle to live up to commitments made in the wake of the crisis. Read the full story by Crain’s Cleveland Business.

Through a collaboration between water operators and scientists, yellow smart buoys bobbing on the surface of Lake Erie are serving as an early warning system for algae blooms. Read the full story by CBC News.

In June 2025, an underwater remotely operated vehicle contest will be hosted by the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan. More than 1,000 guests from 15 countries are expected to attend. Read the full story by MLive.

Brett Pollock steps into the role of manager of building and planning/chief building official for the Township of Huron-Kinloss on Oct. 28.

“Brett has over 25 years’ experience in the construction and building industry, with 16 of those years in the municipal sector. He has a deep-rooted connection to our community which adds an extra layer of passion and understanding to his work, and we are thrilled to have Brett on board,” said Mayor Don Murray in a news release.
CAO Jodi MacArthur welcomed Pollock to the senior leadership team, noting he brings “a wealth of knowledge and municipal experience” that will enhance the municipality’s capabilities.

“Brett’s expertise and enthusiasm for his field will bring great value to our team and contribute to the growth and success of our township,” MacArthur said in the release. “Brett has a proven track record of quality in the building industry, with a reputation for delivering excellent service.”

Pollock said he is “grateful for the opportunity to join the dedicated Huron-Kinloss team.”
“This role presents an exciting opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of our community,” he said. “I look forward to working closely with residents, contractors, designers, and developers to successfully complete their building and planning projects. I am committed to ensuring that our building and planning processes are efficient, transparent and forward-thinking.”

Foam from Muskegon Lake in Muskegon, Michigan, contained over 4,000 parts per trillion of PFOS. The source has not been identified because a number of former industries along the shoreline could have used the foam for fire protection or in their industrial processes. Read the full story by the Midland Daily News.

Veteran policy experts discuss how a Harris or Trump presidency may deal with three key topics: Great Lakes restoration, groundwater, and the Line 5 oil pipeline. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.

Chequamegon Bay near Ashland, Wisconsin, hasn’t seen algae blooms unlike other areas of the Great Lakes struggling with high phosphorus levels. A recent study found that the area doesn’t have the same kind of dissolved phosphorus that is associated with intense agricultural production. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Using trackers to follow the path of plastic bottles in rivers around the Greater Toronto Area, students found hot spots for garbage before it enters Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Read the full story by The Narwhal.

The closed Palisades nuclear plant, located on Lake Michigan, is in the first steps of reopening: on-the-ground efforts are already underway at the site to co-locate a pair of small-modular reactors there by 2030. Read the full story by MLive.

The Bluebird Bunkie in Alma is a unique and cozy spot for guests looking to flee the city and embrace the countryside.

The short-term rental, owned and operated by Laura Ferrier, along with her husband James Ferrier, was built in 2021 and officially opened the fall of that year.

“We built the bunkie after my second maternity leave,” Laura said while explaining that both her and her husband have routinely worked off-farm while running a cash crop operation.

The Ferriers used to be the only growers of lentils in the province but shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple decided to stop production.

Laura and James Ferrier (Submitted by Laura Ferrier)

“COVID changed a lot of things,” Laura said.

The bunkie, along with a roadside stand that sells 30 different varieties of pumpkins, would fill the gap left by the lentils and align with their young family’s lifestyle.

“We weren’t travelling far with the kids and we figured we could also use the space for ourselves,” Laura said.

As step one, the Ferriers purchased a do-it-yourself bunkie kit.

“It’s kind of like Ikea. You buy the kit and follow the instructions,” Laura said.

The bunkie took two days to assemble and once it was complete there was space for two guests in one bedroom with a queen-sized bed.

The bunkie has space for two guests and includes a queen size bed, kettle, mini-fridge, and indoor electric fireplace. (Submitted by Laura Ferrier)

According to the description, the Bluebird Bunkie is fully powered, providing the comfort of lighting, device charging, heating and air conditioning.

A separate bathhouse features a composting toilet, vanity and outdoor shower

The overall goal was to create a hotel-like experience for guests and because of that, there are no chores associated with the stay.

When guests leave, all they have to do is turn off the AC and lights and walk out the door.

Laura posted the bunkie on Airbnb, VRBO and Hipcamp. The first few months in business, the bunkie had consistent occupancy from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve.

“It wasn’t every weekend but it was solid” Laura said.

The core group of guests come from the Greater Toronto Area, but there have also been visitors from the U.S. and Europe.

Upon every visit, Laura welcomes the guests, checks them in and leaves them to enjoy their stay.

Visits to the bunkie start ramping up between May and July on an annual basis. While the busiest month of the year is August, September and October are busy too.

Outdoor amenities include a fire pit and barbeque. (Submitted by Laura Ferrier)

Guests have come to stay as early as April and as late as December, but weather plays a key factor in the bookings.

“We don’t want to be dealing with people in storms,” Laura said.

Like with any new business, there have been many lessons learned overtime. For starters, Laura said they put the wrong type of roof on the bunkie.

“We followed the instructions but afterwards we thought we should have put a steel or asphalt roof on instead.”

Learning that it’s impossible to make every guest happy was another big lesson, as was realizing that some guests are going to be more challenging than others.

“There have been some bumps, but overall the people have been spectacular.”

Laura has thought about launching an independent website to promote and book the bunkie but after three years of operations, Airbnb is still her preferred platform.

The online marketplace for short-and-long-term homestays allows hosts to know who’s coming (to a point) because other hosts have reviewed them.

“I get to approve guests before they book,” Laura said. “If someone has horrible reviews, I can decline their request.”

And if the guest is a first time renter, hosts can talk to them and get a sense of who they are before booking.

Looking towards the future, the Ferriers had considered building a second bunkie, but ultimately decided not to.

James Ferrier constructing the bunkie from a do-it-yourself bunkie kit. (Submitted by Laura Ferrier)

The volume of visitors has slowed down this year as travel habits have changed since COVID. Meanwhile, the number of short-term rentals in and around Alma has grown exponentially.

“Our area has become saturated with Airbnbs so there is a lot of competition,” Laura said.

While two or three years ago, spots might have filled up every weekend; it seems to be more like every other weekend now.

Laura’s advice about getting into the short-term rental business is this: it’s a great opportunity for hosts who have the personality to fit the position, especially if the space for rent is directly on-farm.

“You have to be okay with people coming onto your property and interacting with you,” she said.

It also helps if the host is someone who loves to talk about farming with guests who are most often than not removed from agriculture.

“For us, it was an opportunity to share our story, earn some money and meet new people,” Laura said.

This article is the second of three in a special series that highlights Ontario farmers who own and operate short-term rentals.

The Reid family is once again promising a hauntingly good time as they prepare for their fifth annual Halloween Haunt.
“My husband has been tinkering around with a couple of things out in the shed,” said co-organizer Nicole Reid. “We don’t want to spoil any surprises, but there will be a couple of new additions this year.”
From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 25 and 26, all are invited to experience the Reids’ Halloween Haunt, a walk-through event at 953 Boardwalk St. in Kincardine.
The cost of admission is a non-perishable food item or cash donation with 100 per cent of the contributions once again benefitting Kincardine’s food bank.

A ghoul “statue” surprises Reid family friend Lisa Klein-Haar. Supplied photo

“We have collected over $5,000 for the food bank and four pickup truck loads of food over the last four years,” Reid said. “We don’t really ever have any expectations on how much we are going to bring in. It’s just so wonderful to see people’s joy and to also help out a great community organization like the food bank. It’s just a win-win.”
Reid is encouraging attendees to bring lots of cash to enjoy soup, donated by the Soup Spoon Company, and baked goods that will all be available by donation. The Bruce Shrine Club is also selling their Christmas products during the event.

The Reid family uses as many pumpkins as possible during their annual event, carving each one themselves. Supplied photo

“We have always really loved Halloween, and my husband and I both have such fond memories of it when we were kids,” Reid explained “It is important to us to bring something to the community with the nostalgia of a good time for the whole family. It’s extra special to be able to give back to the community we love.”
According to Reid, the event saw a couple hundred attendees in its first year, held during the pandemic in 2020, and grew to welcome more than 700 people over the course of two days in 2023.

From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 25 and 26, all are invited to experience the Reids’ Halloween Haunt, a walk-through event at 953 Boardwalk St. in Kincardine. The cost of admission is a non-perishable food item or cash donation with 100 per cent of the contributions once again benefitting Kincardine’s food bank. Supplied photo

“It is nice to see it grow, but still stay manageable for us to do with our small group of family and friends,” Reid said. “While the decorating and logistics are all run by my husband and myself, we do enlist our parents and some friends to help out on the night. We are very grateful we have had the success we have and we look forward to continuing to bring some Halloween joy to the community for as long as we are able to.”