To whom it may concern, To…

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed redevelopment project at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, as outlined in Environmental Registry of Ontario notice 025-0694.

My primary concern is the serious risk this project poses to the habitat of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), a species listed as endangered both federally and provincially under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and Ontario’s Endangered Species Act (ESA). Wasaga Beach has been a critical site for the recovery of this species in Ontario, offering one of the few remaining suitable nesting habitats on the Great Lakes. Volunteer efforts and years of careful stewardship of this area have allowed the plover population to gradually recover in recent years—a rare and hard-won conservation success.

The proposed commercial and tourism-focused development risks disrupting sensitive nesting grounds through increased human activity, construction, lighting, noise, and habitat alteration. These pressures are well documented to decrease nesting success, increase chick mortality, and drive displacement.

While I recognize the potential economic benefits of tourism-oriented development, these cannot outweigh the Province’s legal and ethical obligation to protect an endangered species and its habitat. The precautionary principle must be upheld, especially in the face of biodiversity loss and climate change.

I urge the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to reject this proposal and prioritize ecological integrity and species protection at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park.