Ontario Parks and the…

Ontario Parks and the Provincial Park system are set aside for protection purposes. Each of these properties have sensitive and often unique features.

I am pleased to see that unregulated properties attached to Bayview Escarpment a Provincial Nature Reserve Class Park are being placed into regulation. They abut and provide additional protection for unique features of this nature reserve class park including talus slopes, crevice caves, endangered species and rare or uncommon ferns.

I remain concerned about the fact that the water table and the sensitive features/resources found within Bayview Escarpment lands may be affected by TC Energy’s proposed pumped storage project co-located at the existing 4th Canadian Division Training Centre on Department of National Defence (DND) lands in Meaford (on the Niagara Escarpment and in Georgian Bay). The primary study focus for this project seems to be on Georgian Bay itself and not related at all to the adjacent or nearby land base.

I also have concerns that as the southern Georgian Bay area becomes more popular, pressures from people who see that Bayview Escarpment Nature Reserve, is titled "provincial park" on the Ontario Parks website will increase. The fact that this provincial park is set aside for protection and not recreation is not clearly stated on the website. The Ontario Parks website needs to be more definite about the various classes of Provincial Parks.

I am also pleased to note that the unregulated properties attached to MacGregor Point Provincial Park, a Natural Environment Class park, are being placed into regulation. These properties have also been attached to MacGregor Point for many years and it is wise to finally do so. (Note: your location description for MacGregor Point Provincial Park is incorrect as it is southwest of both Port Elgin and Southampton.)

These acquired properties have been available for hunting since they were acquired. I have several comments related to the continuation of hunting on these properties.

1. The property which will be placed into regulation near to the corner of Bruce Road 33 and Concession 4. This property has a trail through it which provides access from MacGregor Point to the Gore Drain Trail which accesses the nearby community of Port Elgin. I am pleased to note that continuation of hunting on this property will not be a permitted activity as hunting on this unregulated property has sent cyclists and walkers onto busy sections of roads.

2. The properties which have been called "The Bruce Addition" in both wetland and botanical inventories are habitat diverse. They are the part of the Class 1 wetland which has not been impacted by drainage and modification for campground or trail development. They feature fen habitats which are close to the Lake Huron shoreline. These habitats are unique and unspoiled and should not be exposed to possible trampling.

This near Lake Huron section of the property should not be open for development and should be maintained as a natural environment zone. Hunting should not be a permitted activity.

Further inland, the Class 1 wetland and post glacial Lake Algoma and other ancient lake shorelines are currently known to be used for deer hunting in the fall. It should be noted that parking is presently limited for these properties as is access by vehicles. Emergency vehicles would have a difficult task extracting individuals should someone require care. The removal of deer from the area would probably require off-road travel by hunters (a non-conforming use). These items must be considered should hunting be a permitted activity in a natural environment zone of a provincial park.

Hunting in the fen areas, near Lake Huron, must be prohibited. Regulation of hunting and hunters' access in the remaining section would be difficult to administer.

3. The lot immediately south of the Townline Road is also part of the Class 1 wetland. It should be maintained as a natural environment zone.

Unless the boundary could be easily discerned on the "south" side of this lot, it should not be considered for hunting purposes. It is a relatively narrow lot which is situated adjacent to an area used extensively for hiking and viewing opportunities year round and therefore hunting could prove to be a conflicting activity. Access through this wetland area is difficult.

I remember when hunting was a permitted activity in the last 4 lots of acquired, unregulated at the time, land at the south end of this provincial park (north of the Townline Road). Hunters had to, on occasion, be given permission to enter the regulated part of the park in order to dispatch a deer. Park use at that time was limited and MacGregor Point Provincial Park was not open year round. Today, it is open year round and a very popular park.

I do not agree with the proposal to amend O. Reg. 663/98 under the FWCA in order to add a new schedule for this provincial park with an area description of the proposed additions that are located south of the regulated park boundary to allow for sustainable hunting to occur in those additions consistent with O. Reg. 665/98 section 110(b) of the FWCA. This proposal would meet the needs of a very small portion of the current population that would be using MacGregor Point Provincial Park.