The following is my latest email outlining the community's many environmental and safety concerns regarding the city granting Toronto Humber Yacht Club a 20 year lease on the Toronto Regional Conservation Area land. Once again this email was ignored by the stakeholders at the city who are making the decision to grant this lease. 

As time is running short to stop the lease being renewed, please share our petition and email city officials to share your personal concerns.

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Hello Thomas, Lauren, Joseph, Mayor Chow, Councilor Morley and others,

To say I continue to be disappointed with the lack of transparency and public communication/consultation regarding the possible 20 year lease extension for the Toronto Humber Yacht Club/THYC (101 Humber Valley Road, Etobicoke), situated on the shore of the Humber River in the middle of Kingsmill Park, would be an understatement. I believe the saying “Democracy dies in the Dark” would be appropriate here given the misdirections and broken promises that surround the way the City of Toronto and TRCA have communicated with the public thus far with regard to the review and approval process for THYC’s 20 year lease.

What I do know is THYCs last 20 year lease was granted on August 1, 2005 and apparently they paid the city $10,000 in rent for 2005-06. I also know the clubs on city property are supposed to be “not for profit” corporations. 

It’s clear from google map images I’ve provided showing the club’s property in 2015 vs 2025, the club has greatly increased its footprint and it has done so without applying for or being granted the necessary permits to do so legally. It’s also clear in looking at those images that the club has caused far more than its annual $10,000 rent in environmental destruction to the property they have been entrusted with to protect even as they enjoy the benefit of being on the shores of the Humber River. Given the concerns raised regarding how the club manages its membership fees and dues, it’s also put into question the idea of the club being run as a “not for profit” corporation.

What we’ve learned from Jennifer Kowalski two years ago was the following would be considered for the clubs' lease renewal:

1. Are they in good standing

2. Environmental Impact

3. Community Support

So let’s take Jennifer’s criteria one by one.

1.  Are clubs in good standing:

I’m not sure what good standing means but from google reviews I don’t see how the club is currently in “good standing”. It should be noted that in the last five years the tenor of the reviews has changed considerably. 

As a recreational paddler who is on the water 3-5 times a week during the summer months, I can attest to just how unpleasant the representatives of THYC are to deal with on the water as well as when launching at the public boat launch in Kingsmill Park. THYC seems to think they have priority use of that public facility. On more than one occasion I’ve seen THYC representatives trying to intimidate recreational paddlers as they launch.

In addition to the poor google reviews, if anyone at the city bothered to contact Toronto Police to ask for “Incident Reports” regarding calls to THYC they will find multiple instances where they police were called to deal with threatening and aggressive behavior on the part of THYC representatives. It should be noted that because THYC is considered “Private Property” the police did not press charges, who knew one could threaten others on private property with impunity. A cursory review of 311 call logs would indicate the club creates many issues for the general public which are historically completely ignored by the city.

J torrone

7 reviews

9 months ago

Owners operating out of this marina need to be re-educated on how to operate their boats. Today a large vessel decided to rip through the no wake zone, toppling kayakers and their kids. (As he screamed and cussed out everyone he passed). If I had the chance to get the operating name of the vessel to report this blatant disregard for the safety of others to the police I would. This marina should have a meeting to discuss how to operate in the channel to get to the lake. Very disappointed.

Toba OfTheNorth

1 review

a year ago

COSMO, the scammer, I couldn’t have said it better myself. When he wants your money or something, he will be the most fantastic guy in the world. But if you catch him, question him or get close to seeing him scamming well, he will yell and scream while he is pounding his chest so you would forget about his scam. Yes, as the previous review said, it is a weird e-transfer to send money. I wouldn’t doubt it if he pockets that canoe money himself instead of investing it back in the club for the members. He makes the rules as he goes and doesn’t enforce the main ones to his friends. He yelled at my guest once, and that was the last year I never went back this year. Be careful if you are there, or better yet, Stay Away!

Sam Monica

3 reviews

2 years ago

The owner Cosmo is abrasive aggressive and a very unprofessional person. We were visitors of our family who pay for a plot and were walking to use the washroom. The washroom has a code which we also had access to. He pulled up along side us in his truck to intimidate and bully us. We said hi and he yelled out his vehicle that we were trespassing and asked what we were doing there, to which we felt rightfully attacked and tried to explain we were using the washroom. To which he yelled about the bathrooms being vandalized and that we were not allowed to be there and that he would revoke our parents rental agreement and threatened to call the police. We were obviously in an unsafe situation being two women so we started to walk away then he changed his tune and said we can use the washroom and then three of his large male friends also approached us. We felt very unsafe at that time and explained that to him. That made him change his tone. We tried to defuse the situation by apologizing even though we did nothing wrong. It’s very unfair that we were met with such aggression for simply using services that are paid for. If guests of paying clients are not allowed on the premises that should be clearly stated. We were not causing any disruption we were not in any violation, we were walking to the washroom. In the end we felt so threatened that we didn’t even use the washroom. This was a display of power and extreme toxic masculinity. There were three large men approaching two small women. There was no need for this to happen. It is clear he does not want loyal paying clients. Also to add that his lease agreement changes with any given day and depends on who he is talking to in the moment. The written lease is almost always contradictory to what he says. Very unprofessional, very scary, this man needs to be reported. It’s obvious what kind of person he is and who he caters to. This place is trash do not give them your services.

Bob Tate

8 reviews · 8 photos

a year ago

The most bizarre interaction I ever had with business owner. I am fishing charter captain one September morning walked to this river outfit to see if I can use some boat anchorage at this Humber river location. After seeing some working guys I asked if they are marina people. After confirming they are he rudely demands explanation how I got on to this property. Next he stops me from leaving back where I came from by physically pushing me to go opposite direction. Never before been assaulted while trying to do business with marina people or any other business.

I see some reviews confirming this outfit is run by dorks.  Stay away.

Captain Bob , Salmon Catcher Fishing Charters

Iliana G

43 reviews · 6 photos

a year ago

Be careful of this place and specifically Cosmo. He pretends to be a very nice guy and friendly until  he gets ur money. Once he gets ur money, everything changes . Turns to be arrugant and disrespectful. On the top, He expects you to work for free on his marine even though u paid ur membership and fees, which they never ended up. Don't pay cash or etransfer as well. His games never stop.

BE CAREFUL

Also, keep in mind that water in the river is too shallow for boats

Chris Helyar

3 reviews

2 years ago

The owner, Cosmo, is terrible.  I paddle on the river and have had him speed by on a jet ski yelling profanities.  When I've said I would complain about his behaviour to city politicians (the club leases land from the city), he has laughed, and said they are protected by their local councilor, who is somehow affiliated with the club).

Biak Sz

4 reviews

2 years ago

Stay away from this place. Cosmo is a scammer. He will quote you one price and charge you higher price. Place is trailer park on water.

2. Environmental Impact:

In the last few years THYC has cleared the vast majority of the green space on the property and covered a significant portion of it  with “repurposed asphalt”. I can’t begin to imagine the pollutants flowing into the Humber River as flood waters run over this material. The area they paved over includes the area overtop of their septic field, which they now use for trailer storage (for a fee of course). Due to the septic fields being damaged the club’s bathrooms are no longer fully functioning. (“Septic tank and leaching bed safety”: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1584477135878/1584477188866 )

Leaching bed safety

• Do not build anything on top of the leaching bed, such as parking areas, deck or storage shed.
  Do not drive vehicles or machinery over the bed, as the weight could crush the distribution pipes or pack down the soil, even in winter.
  Make sure the ground over the leaching bed has a good cover of grass or very shallow rooted plants.)

In addition to paving over the green space around the clubhouse to expand parking etc, they have allowed club members to cover the vast majority of the shoreline with patio stones to create areas for members to erect gazebos along the entire shoreline club sits on (60 at last count). This is not only visually unappealing to see from the water but it also destroyed a once productive nesting ground for turtles and ground birds.

It should be noted that THYC sits within TRCA lands and under “The Conservation Authorities Act” permits are required before any development (this includes adding hardscape, regrading, building retaining walls etc) is undertaken. Needless to say THYC did not apply for nor were they granted any permits for the destruction they reaped upon the property they occupy. https://trca.ca/planning-permits/landscaping/ 

The club also clear cut a section of the woodlands at the south west corner of their property, claiming the trees just “fell down”. That area is currently being used to park even more boat trailers on.

Here too, it should be noted a permit is required to cut down or injure a tree. Not only is THYC on TRCA regulated land, it is also located in the City of Toronto Ravine and Natural Feature Protection Area. Again no permit was applied for or granted before clearing the woodland. https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/building-construction/tree-ravine-protection-permits/when-to-apply-for-a-tree-or-ravine-permit/

Every year for the past few years the club has been extending its docks further into the river as well as encroaching on the shoreline north of their berths at the base of the bluffs on their northern boundary. This year it’s ridiculous to see. They have extended their “gas dock” a good 20 to 25 feet directly out into the middle of the river then have added an extension along the base of the bluffs. This not only encroaches on the natural habitat for wildlife in the Humber but will also impact the flow of the river significantly.

3 Community Support:

To say the club lacks local community support would be an understatement. I truly believe that is the reason Thomas canceled the “Public Consultation” he promised was going to take place before any decision was made regarding the 20 lease renewal was to be considered. 

I have only been aware of just how terrible the THYC has become over the last year but when I called 311 in the beginning of June 2024, I was told they regularly received calls complaining about the club. 

The complaints range from:

a/ safety issues posed by unsafe operation of PWC berthed at THYC docks. Unsafe operations I have witnessed but when I reported them, the city completely failed to investigate fully, instead letting the matter drop after they received an email from the clubs lawyers. Their continued extension of their docks into the middle of the river also narrows the navigable portion of the river creating unsafe conditions for other river users.

b/ a myriad of environmental concerns. I was told last June a comprehensive investigation was being undertaken by TRCA & TO with a report being completed by August 2024. In August 2024 I was told the report had been completed but the findings of the report were confidential because THYC is a “Private Entity”. This strikes me as another convenient way to keep the THYC’s disgraceful environmental stewardship, threatening/aggressive approach to the public and unsafe practices on the water under wraps until the 20 year lease is rubber stamped by city officials.

c/ abusive, threatening behavior on the part of THYC representatives toward the general public. Again, I think if city staff were to look into the number of calls to 311 & the Toronto Police, it would be pretty obvious locals and other visitors to Kingsmill Park and users of the Humber River are not fond of the club.

Suffice to say, it’s clear to me if there were a public forum where residents could express our discontent with THYC, it would be a very clear the club has lost the community support it once had due to their destruction of the land they are privileged to be granted use of, their unsafe use of the Humber River and the threatening/aggressive stance they take with the general public.

Based on all the evidence it would appear, as the clubs Commodore has claimed on many occasions, the club is somehow allowed to break all regulations governing the use of the land upon which the clubs sits, is allowed to use the river as their own private JetSki racecourse, is allowed to threaten members of the general public etc because as Chris Helyar and many others (including myself) have been told “the club is protected by their local councilor, who is somehow affiliated with the club.” 

I can think of no other logical reason for the complete lack of transparency and public consultation on the club's lease being renewed for 20 years. To be met with total silence from Thomas, Mayor Chow & Councilor Morley while being kept in the dark about the process for reviewing the request to renew the lease is very disheartening and leaves me feeling like something “not quite right” is taking place at City Hall as they prepare to rubber stamp a 20 year lease renewal for THYC. I can’t begin to imagine how much more damage will be done to the Humber River at THYCs hands if that is allowed to happen. With their feeling of entitlement/ownership of the Humber River it’s also only a matter of time before one of the JetSkiers racing up and down the Humber seriously injures another river user.

I believe by renewing this lease in conjunction with the City of Toronto’s & TRCA’s history of indifference and negligence in properly monitoring and enforcing the regulations THYC are legislated to follow would lead to complete environmental destruction of the land on which the club sits as well as even great levels of unsafe behaviours on the part of the club members which will further endanger the general public who might want to take advantage of being on the Humber River.

Thank you all for your time and attention to this matter and I implore you to consider helping us stop the City of Toronto destroying even more of what little natural wonders exist in our borders.

Jason S