Cottage Lessee Park-Specific Entry Permits

Cottage lessees may pick up their 2024-25 transferable park-specific entry permits from the park office where their cottage is located. To pick up your Park Entry Permit outside of regular park office hours, please contact your local park office/manager. Once cottage lessees have retrieved their Park Entry Permit, they are considered received, and no further permits will be re-issued.

If additional Park Entry Permits are required, cottage lessees may purchase a 2024-25 transferrable Park Park Entry Permit from any provincial park office in Saskatchewan. Please remember vehicles within provincial parks must display a valid Park Entry Permit throughout the entire year.

Please note that if your lease agreement has outstanding issues (e.g., arrears, incomplete renewal, etc.), your Park Entry Permits will not be available for pickup at the park. They are held in Regina until all outstanding lease agreement concerns are fully addressed. Courteous passes will not be available.

Saskatchewan seniors receive free daily or annual Park Entry Permit once their age and residency have been verified upon arrival at the park. Senior Park Entry Permits are available in-park only. There is a limit of one per person/account, and gate staff must validate the permit before issuing it.

If you have a contractor coming to work at your cottage, they can be issued a courtesy pass allowing access into the park. Contact the park administration office to let the park know when you are having a contractor enter the park. Let your contractor know to stop at the entry gate or the administration office to pick up their contractor courtesy pass.

Annual Lease Fees

2022 was the first year of a new four-year cottage lease fee cycle, so the 2022-2025 fees were rebased. Cabinet directed an overall increase of 13 per cent to Land Lease Fees over the four-year period 2022-23 to 2025-26, which equates to an average increase of $118. To achieve this increase, the cottage Land Lease Fees was adjusted as follows:

• No change to the multiplier, which remains at 0.70 per cent.
• The minimum annual land lease fee increased by $100, from $600 to $700 per year; and
• The maximum annual land lease fee increased by $65, from $335 to $400.

For 2024-25, the Direct Service Fee portion of the annual lease fee will increase by four percent due to the Saskatchewan Consumer Price Index.

Cottage lessees may provide payment on their account any time throughout the year; please call 1-800-667-5477. Once your account receives a payment, any overpayments will be applied as a credit, and where a shortfall/balance remains, a statement will be issued.

Fire Response Levy

Cottages, commercial, and institutional lessees are charged fire levies for services based on the signed related fire agreements between provincial parks and the towns/RMs. These levies serve as a retainer for the fire department to respond to structural fires or to provide rescue services within the park. If the fire department does respond to a structural fire or provide rescue services, the lessee whose property was serviced is responsible for paying the hourly call-out fee. In some cases, these fees could end up being quite substantial (thousands of dollars), so please review your current fire insurance policy to ensure you have the appropriate coverage; if you do not currently have a policy, you may want to consider obtaining one as it can relieve you of costly expenses.

Fair Land Value Assessments

As this is a reassessment year for Saskatchewan provincial park cottage properties, the Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency will conduct its assessment of provincial park cottage land values. Once the 2024 base year land values have been determined, lessees will receive their cottage lot assessments along with information regarding the assessment appeal process should you wish to proceed with an appeal of your new assessed land value.

Please visit the Applications, Forms & Policies page for more information about the 2019 base year Fair Land Value Assessments.

Lease Assignment Transfer

If you plan to sell your cottage or add another person to your existing lease agreement, please review the Lease Assignment Application with attached checklist carefully so you are familiar with the process and fully prepared to proceed when the time comes. Please note you must first resolve any non-compliance issues before you may proceed further in the process.

A reminder: park-specific entry permits are associated with the lease and not the person; therefore, when transferring a lease, please ensure these park-specific entry permits are also transferred to the new lease owner as additional ones will not be issued.

If your cottage lease is in two names, please ensure it is registered correctly (including joint tenants or tenants in common).

Permanent Residency

A permanent resident within a provincial park cottage subdivision is an individual who fulfills one of the following requirements: resides in the park for more than six months during a 12-month period, and/or whose principal Saskatchewan residence is in a provincial park. If this applies to you, you are considered a permanent resident and must complete the Change of Residency and return it to the park manager.

Septic System Integrity Test

Cottage lessees are required to maintain the septic system on their property through regular testing and maintenance to confirm it is functioning properly and to ensure its integrity to preserve the soil, groundwater, and lakes. As all septic systems must be inspected every five years, please reach out to the park office to inquire if you are unsure where your cottage property falls on the schedule. Please take a few minutes to review the Septic System Integrity Test Policy.

Foreshore/Shoreland Permit

Shoreland and foreshore areas are important sites for providing shelter and breeding habitat for many fish and bird species, as well as other types of wildlife. Foreshore and shoreland structures are therefore governed by the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport's Dock Policy.

Permits are required for foreshore structures placed in the water tied to the shore, so any dock system installed in the water requires a permit. If you had a permit in 2023, you will automatically be invoiced in 2024. The parks will perform inspections to ensure compliance. When you receive your invoice, confirm the charges on that invoice are current and accurate.

Please be aware that boat dock permits are not transferable and cannot be assigned with the cottage lease. The seller must surrender all associated dispositions (e.g. docks, boat lifts, etc.). In the event the purchaser wishes to maintain the associated improvements, then a new Foreshore Shoreland Use Application must be submitted and approved by the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport.

To surrender the use of a foreshore or shoreland structure, please fill out the Foreshore Shoreland Quit Claim Application.

Subletting

Renting your cottage is a violation of your lease. Breaching this condition may lead to the cancellation of your lease agreement. If this is happening at the park, please let the park manager know. Cottage subdivision leases are for recreational purposes only and cannot be used as commercial or other - the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport offers commercial business opportunities to approved business partners, and many of Saskatchewan's provincial parks have additional accommodation options, including lodges, cabins, yurts, etc., outside of existing cottage subdivisions.

Provincial Park Cottage Subdivision Directives

The Provincial Park Cottage Subdivision Directives cover the key footprint requirements, operating rules, and provide consistent standards for cottage subdivisions to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable cottage experience in provincial parks. Please review the directive documents posted on the ministry website.

Development/Building Permit

If you are planning new construction, renovations, additions, demolitions, etc., to your cottage or leased area, you must submit a Development/Building Permit Application to gain approval. This includes grade adjustments, building up any portion of the lot with fill and constructing or placing a shed of any size on the property. In addition to repairs to structures due to damages caused by the elements. Please check with the park office well before construction to ensure all the Provincial Regulations and Guidelines are adhered to.

Development/Building Permit Applications may be above or picked up at the park office.

Real Property Report - (Does not apply to Lac La Ronge)

A Real Property Report is required to be on file with the ministry when a cottage is sold or given away, additional names are added to the lease (assign/transfer), a building permit warrants one (new build, renovations, additions, etc.), or on renewal of a 21-year lease. The cottage lessee is responsible for filing an up-to-date Real Property Report with the ministry.

Accessory Buildings with Living Quarters

The construction of accessory buildings containing multi-room living quarters is not permitted in provincial park cottage subdivisions. Please review Appendix B­ Sleep Shed/ Second Storey Sleep Quarter-Requirements in the Provincial Park Cottage Subdivision Directives, as it identifies the criteria required when sleeping quarters are included in an accessory building.

Civic Address Displayed

It is difficult for emergency responders such as firefighters, police, and ambulance to find your cottage in an emergency if your address is not clearly visible.

If your cottage lacks a house number, please invest in some at your earliest convenience.

If you are unsure about your civic address, please contact the park administration office.

Off-lot Development

Off-lot development or storage of any kind is not permitted. Please keep your personal items within the boundaries of your leased lot. Provincial parks will continue addressing the non-compliance issues around development off the cottage lots. The Provincial Park Cottage Subdivision Directives are very clear on what is permitted, and Cottagers are very cooperative in addressing the issues and bringing their lot into compliance.

Tree removal and grass cutting are not permitted off the lease unless they are part of the lake access and are limited to the guidelines that are in place. The ministry is working with our Landscape Protection Unit and the Ministry of Environment to help educate and enforce non-compliance in these areas.

Camping Units on Cottage Leased Lots

This is a reminder that all cottagers may only have one camper unit on their lease property. It must be contained within the surveyed lot boundaries, including hitch, awning, and slide-out, and must also be registered to the named leaseholder. Camping units cannot be set up or occupied on a permanent basis, which means they can only have temporary utility hookups and no permanent structures built around them, such as a deck.

Please ensure all equipment, trailers, water tanks, vehicles, boats, etc. are situated within your own surveyed lot boundary. It may be tempting to park across the back alley, the goal within the parks is to keep green spaces green and ensure access to park equipment, emergency vehicles, and service trucks.

Risk Trees/Tree Removal

If cottagers observe risk trees on Crown land immediately adjacent to their cottage lease, please get in touch with the park office to have the trees evaluated for removal.

Cottagers are responsible for identifying and removing risk trees on their leased lots. Trees may only be removed after first obtaining written approval from the park manager. A Tree Removal Permit is required and may be obtained through your local park office.

FireSmart

Adding a few FireSmart actions to your regular yard work routine will greatly reduce your risk of wildfire. Changes within 10 metres of your home will have the biggest impact on reducing the threat of wildfire. Some simple actions that cottagers can take around their cottages can be found at FireSmart.

Campground Firewood

Park firewood is for park visitors only and is not to be removed from the campground for personal use at your cottage within the park. Cottagers are not provided with firewood as part of their lease.

Fire Pits

The cottage lot lessee is ultimately responsible under legislation for all fires that they set on their lease lot. If a fire escapes your fire pit, the cottage lot lessee is responsible and liable for any resulting damages and/or firefighting costs.

Portable wood-burning fire receptacles are not permitted on decks and balconies.

Fire pits are to be separated from nearby combustible material such as organic debris around the outside of the pit, buildings, and overhanging vegetation.

Fires must not be left unattended, and the means by which to extinguish a fire must be readily available each time the fire pit is used.

The fire must be fully contained, and a spark-arresting grill must cover the top of the firepit.

Firewood Storage

Ensure you have a controlled amount of firewood stored on a leased cottage. Rather than stockpiling excessive amounts of firewood on a leased lot, lessees may at any time obtain a free permit to gather up to four cords worth of dead and downed timber from Crown land anywhere within the park. Firewood and/or dead and downed timber originating from a leased lot or off Crown land can only be for personal use and may not be sold or used for barter or trade.

Fuel Wood Permits

Free firewood permits are available at the administration office.

The permit grants the holder approval to gather up to two cords of dead and downed timber for personal use. It is important to remember that firewood gathered within the park may not be sold, traded, or bartered without a paid forestry product permit from the Ministry of Environment. Firewood should be stacked 10 metres from a cottage, and overwhelmingly large volumes of firewood should not be stockpiled on a cottage lease lot.

Burning & Disposing of Building Materials/ Appliances

Large items such as furniture, appliances, and construction material are the responsibility of the cottage owner to dispose of at the proper waste disposal location. Please be aware that burning these types of items is not permitted in cottage subdivisions as it is dangerous and unsafe.

Compliance with Parks Act & Regulations

All Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport leaseholders are subject to The Parks Act and Parks Regulations, 1991 as a requirement of their lease conditions.

The Parks Act and Parks Regulations, 1991 regulate activity authorized on park land and includes a number of rules. A couple of examples listed in the Parks Regulations, 1991 are those pertaining to:

• Domestic animals (includes pets)
  • Section 33 see the pet's section.
• Offensive behaviour
  • Section 53(1) No person shall: (a) annoy, be a nuisance to or disturb any other person on park land; or (b) interfere with the rights of other persons to quiet and peaceful enjoyment of park land; and
  • Section 53(2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), no person shall cause a disturbance to others or hinder park employees in the performance of their duties by: (a) fighting; (b) swearing or using obscene language; (c) causing or creating a loud noise; or (d) impeding or molesting other persons.

Park Watch

The Park Watch Line is for emergency situations that occur throughout the park after office hours. Call the Park Watch at 1-800 667-1788 or 911 if you witness an occurrence. Please call the office during regular business hours for all other park inquiries.

SaskAlert

Saskatchewan's Emergency Public Alerting program alerts the public in real time of an emergency so you can take action to protect yourself, your family, and your property. An emergency alert issued through SaskAlert will let you know what the emergency is, where it is happening, provide instructions to follow to stay safe, and advise you when the incident is over.

Learn more about SaskAlert and download the app.

Feeding Wildlife

Feeding wildlife is prohibited under Section 35 of The Parks Regulations, 1991, and it often causes more harm than good. In some instances, giving wildlife feed that is not a normal part of their diet can lead to death.

Setting out wildlife attractants, such as salt licks, is also prohibited under Section 35. While setting out salt licks, squirrel feeders, and/or bird feeders may seem innocent enough, these attractants can also draw-in less desirable wildlife such as skunks, raccoons, and cougars.

Please keep wildlife wild by not feeding or baiting wild animals within the park.

Cottagers may only trap or dispose of nuisance wildlife after first contacting a Conservation Officer.

Pets in the Park

Owners are responsible for the care, control, and behaviour of their pets at all times. Under no circumstances should pets be allowed to roam loose in a provincial park. Pet owners are to promptly clean up after their pets and keep them on a leash (not exceeding two metres in length) at all times. Keep pets quiet and ensure they do not become a nuisance, danger, or threat to the comfort or safety of any other person or wildlife. Ensure pets do not destroy any property in the park. Pets are not allowed on beaches or swimming areas and are not permitted in public structures.

Special Event Permits Required

When renting a recreation hall for an event in a provincial park, you are required to fill out a special event permit. If you plan on hosting a special event, such as an athletic event, car show, concert, film production, fishing derby, fundraiser, wedding, etc. you must complete a Special Event Application. Visit the Special Event Application page for more information.

Sask Parks Events & Programs

Saskatchewan Provincial Parks offer a variety of events and programming throughout the year, making them a great destination for visitors of all ages and interests. From educational workshops and guided hikes to concerts and festivals, visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities that celebrate the park's natural beauty and cultural heritage.

Visit Sask Parks Events & Programs to browse the events and programs by date, theme, or park.

Wear Your Park Pride

Saskatchewan Provincial Parks apparel showcases elements of our beautiful parks and allows you to carry a piece of nature with you wherever you go. Wear your park pride and show the world just how much Saskatchewan's provincial parks mean to you.

Visit the Sask Parks Store to view and order your favourite gear.

Contact Information

It's important that the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport is made aware if your contact information has changed as you may not be receiving important information about your leased cottage property. If you have moved or your mailing address, email address or any other contact information has changed, then you need to notify the Ministry. Please complete and submit the Change of Contact Information so the Ministry may keep their records current.

As this database allows more than one email address per cottage property, the Ministry is collecting the lease “Holder” and Co-Holder email addresses when possible. Please be sure the Ministry has your current contact, so the Ministry may distribute information to both lessees (if applicable). The Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport will not share email addresses outside of the ministry as they are only being collected for cottage-related communication.