To the Ministry of the…

To the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks,

Regarding: ERO Proposal 025-0694 – Proposed legislative amendments to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006, and Historical Parks Act to support the Town of Wasaga Beach's Tourism Enhancement Proposal

I am writing to express my unequivocal opposition to the proposal to remove significant portions of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park from protection and facilitate their sale to the Town of Wasaga Beach. As a resident of Ontario, I view this proposal not as a "tourism enhancement" but as a profound betrayal of the public trust and an imminent threat to a priceless and irreplaceable part of our province's natural and cultural heritage.

The rationale presented in ERO notice 025-0694 is based on a dangerously flawed premise: that we must destroy a protected natural asset to achieve economic prosperity. This thinking is short-sighted and ignores the immense value the park provides in its current state—as an ecological sanctuary, a driver of sustainable tourism, and a beloved recreational space for millions of Ontarians.

My objections are rooted in the following critical points:

A Direct Violation of Provincial Law and Public Trust
The Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA) is clear: "Maintenance of ecological integrity shall be the first priority" in the management of provincial parks. This proposal directly inverts this legal mandate, prioritizing a speculative commercial development agenda over the health of the ecosystem. The government holds these lands in trust for all Ontarians, with the intention that they be left "unimpaired for future generations." The permanent sale of these lands for development is a flagrant breach of this sacred duty.

Perhaps most alarmingly, the government is proposing to amend the PPCRA itself to push this through, rather than following the existing, transparent process for altering park boundaries laid out in the Act. This maneuver appears to be a deliberate attempt to circumvent necessary public and legislative scrutiny. It sets an extraordinarily dangerous precedent that threatens the integrity of all 335 provincial parks in Ontario. If the protections for our most popular park can be dismantled by rewriting the rules, then no park is safe.

The Irreplaceable Natural Heritage at Stake
The lands targeted for removal are not insignificant or degraded. They are the ecological heart of the park and contain globally significant ecosystems. This includes:

A Globally Imperilled Dune System: The park protects a rare freshwater parabolic dune system, a natural and non-renewable defence against storms and high water from Georgian Bay. This natural infrastructure provides millions of dollars in flood protection services that, if destroyed, would likely need to be replaced by costly artificial structures at the taxpayer's expense.

Critical Habitat for Species at Risk: These beaches are critical nesting and foraging habitat for the endangered Piping Plover. The Piping Plover Recovery Program at Wasaga Beach is a celebrated conservation success story, proving that protection and high-intensity recreation can coexist. Transferring this land to the municipality, whose priorities lie in development and beach grooming, would dismantle the very program responsible for the plover's return and jeopardize the species' survival in the region. The claim that species protections will remain in place is misleading; the proactive, ecosystem-level stewardship provided by Ontario Parks staff cannot be replaced by reactive enforcement under the Endangered Species Act.

Other Vulnerable Species: The park lands are also a sanctuary for other at-risk species, including the endangered Hill's Thistle, the threatened Eastern Hog-nosed Snake, and migrating Monarch Butterflies.

A Flawed and Incomplete Economic Rationale
The economic case for this proposal ignores the massive, proven value the park already generates. As one of Ontario's most-visited parks, it is a powerful economic engine, driving tens of millions of dollars in visitor spending and supporting hundreds of direct and indirect jobs in the region.

The plan proposes to trade this sustainable, long-term public asset for a high-risk, speculative development model. It is a model that privatizes short-term profits while socializing the long-term ecological and financial risks—the loss of ecosystem services, the potential extirpation of endangered species, and the future costs of managing a hardened, artificial shoreline. This is not a sound economic strategy; it is a reckless gamble with a priceless public asset.

An Affront to Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation
These lands are the traditional and treaty territories of the Anishinaabe and Wyandot peoples, specifically falling within the Williams Treaties lands. The Crown has a constitutional duty to engage in deep and meaningful consultation with these First Nations before contemplating any action that could permanently alienate these lands from public stewardship. The vague reference to outreach in the ERO notice falls far short of this constitutional obligation. After the formal apologies issued in the 2018 Williams Treaties settlement for past Crown failures, it is unconscionable for the province to prioritize a municipal development plan over its treaty relationships and the work of reconciliation.

A Better Path Forward
The desire for economic revitalization in the Town of Wasaga Beach is valid, but the idea that this requires selling off the crown jewel of the provincial park system is a false dichotomy. True, lasting prosperity for the town is inextricably linked to the health of its unique natural environment.

Therefore, I urge the Government of Ontario to:

Immediately withdraw ERO proposal 025-0694 in its entirety.

Abandon any legislative amendments that would weaken the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006.

Invest in the park, not its dismantlement. A renewed provincial commitment to funding park infrastructure, ecological programs like the Piping Plover recovery, and world-class interpretive facilities is the surest way to enhance tourism and support the local economy.

Engage in meaningful Nation-to-Nation consultation with the Williams Treaties First Nations to determine the future stewardship of these lands, respecting the honour of the Crown and the spirit of reconciliation.

This proposal is an assault on our collective natural heritage. It is a step backward, prioritizing short-term gain over long-term sustainability and public good. I implore you to listen to the deep concerns of Ontarians, uphold your government's legal and moral responsibilities, and protect Wasaga Beach Provincial Park for all future generations.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Ontario Resident