I am contacting you as a…

I am contacting you as a constituent to voice my deep concern with the proposed legislative changes to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006, and Historical Parks Act to support the Town for Wasaga Beach’s Tourism Enhancement Proposal outlined in ERO: 025-0694.

The transfer of 2.91 hectares of public, protected park land to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming removes protections for endangered species. The amending of the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act would be ecologically damaging to our local flora and fauna. Wasaga beach is home to the endangered piping plover, and the ramifications of losing protected status for this and other species has not been studied or even considered. The dunes across the park are necessary to prevent flooding - removing these protected lands could cause damage and flooding to local residents' homes and businesses. It is critical to remember that environmental and endangered species protection are not just bureaucratic obstacles - they are safeguards for our ecosystems, biodiversity and future generations. These protections help ensure that development does not come at the irreversible cost of species extinction or long-term environmental degradation.

The Ford government promised to expand provincial parks last election, and included a mandate of “Protecting Ontario’s Parks” - Selling off public lands and removing their protected status is the exact opposite of protecting Ontario’s parks. This directive flies in the face of the PC government’s 2025 “Plan to Protect Ontario”.

Not only is this damaging to Ontario residents who live and visit the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, this sets a dangerous precedent for the selling of other provincial park lands. The Ford government has a track record of selling off or leasing public lands for private profit - look no further than Ontario Place, the Greenbelt and the Ontario Science Centre. This government needs to follow through with its campaign promise of Protecting Ontario’s Parks.

As a constituent of the Simcoe-Grey riding and local resident, I call on the Ford government to:

Immediately stop the sale of 645 acres of Wasaga Provincial Park;
to not amend the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act;
to recognize its responsibility to hold Provincial Park lands in trust for future generations.

Thank you for your consideration on this matter.