EH?

 Some of the more frequent things I hear when selling properties on the Bruce Peninsula: “What is EH?”
or “I hear it’s bad to purchase a property with an EH zoning!”

Well, let’s clear it up… EH stands for Environmental Hazard. Now, I know normally the word “Hazard”
makes us worry or quickly turn the other way. However an EH zoning on a property is not necessarily a
bad thing. In many cases you can get an excellent piece of land not only for a great price but in some
cases having an EH designation on your land means you can apply to the Ontario Government’s
Conservation Land Tax Incentive program and apply for that area of the property to be exempt from
taxes! I don’t know about you but I could really go for less taxes on my land… For more info on that
program you can go here:http://www.ontario.ca/CLTIP

So what does EH really mean? There are several reasons why a piece of land may have this designation
the most common are:

  • Low Lying water caused by dense rock that doesn’t allow for quick drainage
  • A section of the property could have a swamp area; featuring beautiful birds, vegetation and
wildlife
  • Potential for “Water Uprush” from storms or changing water levels on water fronting property
  • Environmentally protected area regulated by the government
  • Restrictions have been placed on what can safely be built on the property

I personally own property with an EH designation on a large portion of it and we love it! So many
beautiful birds, animals and wildflowers flourish there. We can sit on our deck and just enjoy all Mother
Nature has to offer…a true getaway from the stresses of life!

Want to find out of your property is designated as, or in part as EH? You can easily check by visiting the
Bruce County maps here and looking for dark blue areas on your property: www.brucecounty.on.ca
If you have more questions you can contact me directly, ask your realtor or visit the municipal by-laws
here: http://www.davismclay.com/EH.pdf

See you on the Bruce!

Brenna