I really don't know much about Canada. I have been to Winnipeg once and Toronto a couple of times but I have lived for 44 years on the shores of Lake Nipigon. So this area I know pretty well. I'm pretty much retired now but still rent a couple of cabins and I used to run a charter boat.
Years ago here's how it worked.
A couple of guys or maybe a small group would throw a tent in the trunk and tie down a canoe on top of some junk car and drive up here. They bought a few groceries, some gas and maybe some beer and went camping in the bush. They complained about the price of everything and found it hard to get any local info on where to go and catch a fish.
Some of them where smart enough to look for boat landings with the most garbage--thats where the locals fished.
Some of them fell in love with the Boreal Forest--and they dreamnd of the day when they could afford a decent tent camper and a boat and motor. They dreamnd of the day when they could afford a fly-in fishing trip or to stay at real resort and afford a guide.
A lot of these young men came back year after year--they brought their families--and most wives aren't going to put up with outhouses.
Crown Land Camping Permits put a stop to all this. Where we used to have 20 tourist outfits we now have 2. And those 2 spend a ton of money on advertising in the US to get people to come here.
The tourist buisness hereabouts is kinda like the Mafia--once you're in you can't get out. You meet some nice people and you just can't say No.
