Ontario Man Fined $19,000 Over Illegal Floating Accommodations on Georgian Bay
An Ontario man has been found guilty of unlawfully placing four floating accommodations on Georgian Bay near Port Severn, Ontario, following an investigation by provincial conservation officers.
A Port Severn, Ontario, business owner has been fined $19,000 and ordered to remove four floating accommodations from Georgian Bay after being found guilty of violating provincial public lands regulations.
Joseph Nimens, who operates the floating accommodations business Live On The Bay, was sentenced on September 2, 2026, following a trial in the Ontario Court of Justice.
The ministry announced the conviction and sentence in an October 2, 2026, bulletin.
According to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), conservation officers determined that the four structures were placed on public land covered by water near Port Severn between May 28, 2024, and February 21, 2025.
The accommodations were observed at six different locations during that period and remained in individual anchorages for between 20 and 99 days. The ministry also said the structures were present through the winter and froze in place. Georgian Bay experiences seasonal ice cover that varies considerably from year to year. The ministry confirmed that the four floating accommodations were present during the winter months and froze in place.
The conviction comes after Ontario made changes to its Public Lands Act in 2023 to address the issue of floating accommodations on public land. The argument centered around the distinction between a "vessel" and a "floating accommodation."
The structures built by Live On The Bay drew attention from nearby cottagers and the municipality. The public outcry quickly led to concerns about their placement on Georgian Bay and the laws governing the long-term presence of floating accommodations on public waterways.
Live On The Bay's website features a range of models, from basic shipping containers mounted on docks to a modern two-storey cottage-style structure. Prices vary accordingly, ranging from approximately $97,000 to $1.6 million. The company’s website advertises that with ownership comes no hydro bills, water bills, or any common municipal or provincial fees typical of home ownership. It claims all of its models comply with all municipal, provincial, and federal laws.
In a story with Cottage Life in May 2023, Nimens argued that his constructions were a vessel, rather than a stationary floating accommodation. That distinction raised questions about who held authority between federal, provincial, and municipal governments regarding structures on waterways that are capable of long-term residency.
Transport Canada regulates vessels and their movement, while the province oversees Crown land. Local municipalities are responsible for matters involving land use and local services.
Transport Canada sought public feedback on the issue. The federal agency said they would consider incorporating long-term anchoring restrictions into the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR). The VORR is the mechanism through which municipalities and provincial governments can enforce boating laws.
“In recent years, Transport Canada has learned of situations where non-traditional vessels have been anchored long-term within Canada. Having vessels anchored long-term for recreation has raised concerns about the environment, safety, and public access,” the government agency said in its statement.
Then in June 2023, Ontario amended Regulation 161/17 under the Public Lands Act to prohibit floating accommodations from being placed or used for outdoor accommodation or camping purposes on public lands covered by water.
“We heard a number of concerns about the use of floating accommodations on Ontario’s waterways, including their potential effects on the environment as well as concerns about safety,” said Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. “With these changes, we are taking action to protect our waterways by preserving access to lakes and rivers, ensuring access for recreational users, and reducing the potential for pollution of lakes and rivers.”
The updated provincial rules create a new regulatory framework that applies independently of whether an owner describes their structure as a vessel or a floating accommodation.
Cottage Life reported in March 2024 that confusion still remained between the province and Nimens about how the new regulations could be applied.
“I’m really not sure where these rules apply. I’m curious to have someone from the Ontario government answer that question,” Nimens told Cottage Life.
“We don’t know to what degree floating homeowners can claim that they are vessels, and therefore not subject to these regulations. I don’t know how that will unfold,” said Georgian Bay mayor Peter Koetsier to Cottage Life.
Live On The Bay has also faced scrutiny over complaints from customers who say they paid for floating accommodations that were not delivered.
In a November 2024 article, Cottage Life detailed the case of a couple who said they had paid $168,000 for a floating accommodation that had not been delivered after two years.
Other Canadian news outlets including Global News and CTV News have also reported that multiple former customers alleged they paid LOTB deposits for vessels that were not built and refunds were not issued. The amounts ranged from $30,000 to more than $350,000. Despite the complaints, neither Nimens nor Live On The Bay has been formally charged with a criminal offence.
Jim Lewis, a customer of Live on the Bay who paid over $350,000 for a custom two-storey floating home, told CTV News in December 2024 after the new regulatory changes were enacted: "He has unfortunately abandoned the project, and we are now left to our own resources to try to get the boat in the water."
“The project, when he abandoned it, was only the flotation device and the frame. We have had to complete the rest on our own,” Lewis claimed.
Nimens has publicly denied any fraudulent activity and attributed project delays to regulatory changes and customers requesting design alterations after construction had begun, according to Cottage Life.
In addition to the $19,000 fine, the court also ordered Nimens to remove the four floating structures from Port Severn.
The Ministry of Natural Resources says the new amendments to the Public Lands Act now prohibit floating accommodations from being placed or used for overnight accommodation or camping purposes on public lands covered by water. #news
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