I spent a lot of time in my youth camping and fishing in the lakes of Ontario so this show makes me nostalgic even though I am now an old man in SoCal, and it is a welcome relief from most of the other cookie cutter house remodel shows. Scott seems like a nice guy and he is very knowledgeable, specifically regarding lake cottages, and Deb has nice design ideas. The silly banter between the two does not turn me off like it does for some people.
However I have to agree that the rental estimates are way too optimistic. It is just not possible for people living in Toronto to rent out these cottages, two hours away, on a full-time basis. At the very least the owners would have to hire a property manager (which cuts into the profits) to find renters and then clean and make any needed repairs after each renter moves out. And anyone who wants the true outdoor experience (fishing, swimming, water skiing, etc) is going to end up trashing the beautiful design elements, which are better suited to urban houses. White sofas?...with kids tracking in lake water and sand and grass and who knows what else all the time? Nope!
It would also be nice to know exactly where these houses are but I can understand the need for some privacy. But I don't think it would be too difficult to find some of these if they are on Vrbo.