Wow. Sickening. 100 memberships, $10K/year. That's only $1mil. They're not making money at that rate (given land acquisition costs etc). Rich people just denying access. 

Oh also, can purchase a "Backcountry Butler". I'm physically ill. 

@scoutergriz - agreements expire, things change; it is nearly completely the prerogative of the landowner to choose how to use their land (assuming approvals and permits from governing bodies are obtained if development or resource utilization is desired).  

"Users" is an apt term to identify people who was using land or resources but not actually contributing to their preservation, regeneration or the cost of ownership and maintenance.  It's unfortunate that the generosity of Domtar has apparently come to an end, but it is fortunate that a small group of people had the opportunity to enjoy private lands at no cost or personal burden to them whatsoever.  

WOW!!!
And here I was fretting over whether or not the fees in the park were going to increase to $45 a night.
Imagine $500 a month for a "limited" membership?
Hang on a minute!! Maybe I could just sell the house and move there. . . . . . 

The bigger issue is that this privately owned business now owns huge areas of land south of Bancroft on both sides of Hwy 62 and across to Hwy 28. The total area is far larger than the private park. 

LandEscapes has made some positive moves such as donating a large area of land to the Nature Conservancy, but that move also came with a multimillion $ contribution from the provincial government.

However they are also having a negative impact on the economics of the region. These townships were already some of the poorest townships in Ontario and the purchase by LandEscapes is removing the lands from forestry production. I don't know how big an impact that has on employment but it certainly won't increase it. 

The potential negative impacts also include reducing or eliminating recreational values and use. This winter at least one OFSC trail was closed due to the purchases. On a positive note I saw several LandEscapes no trespassing signs alongside trails that were still open. Snowmobiling brings significant revenue into the region over the winter. (See https://ofsc.evtrails.com/# for the trail map. Note that the trail map is taken offline over the summer as part of the OFSC policies to reduce trespassing since many trails cross private land with landowner permission and are only available during the season). At this point I don't know if LandEscapes is actively working with OFSC clubs or if the open trails are on land not controlled by LandEscapes such as the E and E106 railbed multi-use trail. 

Many of the lakes in that area are quickly transitioning from being seasonal residences to full time residences. LandEscapes now owns all of the non-waterfront land around several of those lakes. With the need to increase housing in Ontario combined with increased acceptance and opportunity for working remotely, these areas with established roads would have been good candidates to increase residential housing, which in turn would make everything from the roads to the schools to the communities more viable and sustainable. On the school topic think 15 minute bus ride for kids instead of an hour. For the communities consider the difference between having a grocery store or driving 40-60 minutes to the nearest grocery store. 

I don't know what the mid or long term effects of the LandEscapes purchases will be, but in the short term I am concerned about the near monopoly on land ownership in a rather large area. 

Its pretty gross, that's for sure, and I imagine the type of camper here doesn't come home with any dirt on their hands. 

But I have to be honest - my immediate thoughts were things like you wouldn't have to ram your car up between a couple of trees to park, and I bet the thunderboxes are pretty well-maintained, and if somebody decided they needed to hack down a living tree at a campsite for bushcraft or just for the hell of it, the people running the place would know exactly whom it was, and I bet you'd never arrive at a campsite where the firepit was filled with beer cans and garbage.  It also occurs to me that if you were maybe 20 years old, you could get yourself a pretty interesting summer job there guiding people around....the stories you'd have to tell....about Thurston Howell the third and Lovey, on their excursion into the deep woods.

Jdbonney wrote:

People who say money can’t buy happiness never had enough money
- Samuel L. Jackson

I doubt that will be popular, and I sure wish I was rich to put that to the test. If this place is nice(based on location it probably great) and money were no object I think most of us would join.

Kanye west just decided he doesn’t feel like performing at coachella in a few weeks. 1 day of “work” for $8 million dollars….and he doesn’t feel like it. There is a different group of people out there.

 
Best definition of money I’ve ever heard was from an old economics professor. “ Money is a necessary but insufficient means to happiness”
I’ve been fortunate, I could probably swing it but I can’t think of many places I would less like to go camp.

Honestly the "stewardship" option (coming soon) doesn't look half bad: $5K for 500 acres, 10x10 cabin size limit, and up to 8 guests. People pay way more than $700 each for that kind of hunting territory over here. The 60 acres I rent for deer costs me $400 a year.

some one should tell "goneagainjohn" about this park,,