I certainly appreciate the idea of not being concerned because you've never been hassled before. But this work permit issue goes deeper than that.
There are two kinds of canoe routes in Ontario. Ones which are recognized by the MNR, and ones which are not. The ones that are recognized receive some protections from forestry and other developments. The ones that are not recognized do not receive protection.
It will come as a surprise to no one that the MNR's database of canoe routes is incomplete. There are many canoe routes which are in use every year, but do not receive any protection. Many other unrecognized routes are in danger of being lost due to lack of maintenance and lack of use - brought about in part because they are unrecognized.
Individuals or organizations may request that one of these forgotten routes be officially recognized. I do work like this for the Friends of Temagami as a volunteer. In the past, a small number of routes have been recognized through Forest Management Planning. In the majority of cases, however, the MNR refuses the request. Basically, they reserve the right to tell canoeists what qualifies as a canoe route.
Recently, the MNR has taken a different approach. They have begun insisting that if we want a canoe route to be recognized, it must be treated as a "new value" (even if it has been there for thousands of years). We must request recognition by applying for a work permit. The MNR may require an environmental assessment of the same type that is given to new garbage dumps. Costs for the assessment must be borne by the proponent. Clearly, this is a strategy to discourage people from requesting that existing unrecognized canoe routes be given the same protection as recognized canoe routes.
So even if you don't personally care about work permits because you've never seen a government bureaucrat on a portage.... you should. People like me, who are trying to protect canoe routes for you to paddle, care about how this work permit system is set up.
The Friends of Temagami will be making a submission to the MNR on this issue. So will the Wabakimi Project and others. You do not need to read all the boring policy documents to help. (That's my privilege.) What you can do is click on this link.
http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-Extern ... g=MTE4MDQzThen fill in your details and in the comment box say something like this:
"I support the proposals made by the Friends of Temagami to make it easier for paddlers to maintain canoe routes and get canoe routes recognized without having to wade through red tape. Since the province of Ontario abdicated responsibility for canoe route maintenance, regular citizens have picked up the slack. Passable canoe routes support a multi-million dollar industry, encourage people to stay healthy and get exercise, and foster the creation of environmental stewards in adults and children alike. People and organizations doing this work for the benefit of Ontario's environment, society, and economy should not be penalized."