As a resident of Ontario for…

As a resident of Ontario for most of my life, I grew up going to Wasaga Beach regularly and still enjoy summer trips there now. Throughout my life, it’s become more and more clear that humans and wildlife need to co-exist in Ontario for all of us to thrive, and constant development of wildlife habitats threaten that.

When we know better, we have to do better. Environmental stewardship and responsible provincial management via Ontario Parks is the only way to ensure that there are adequate legal protections for this sensitive and vulnerable land and the wildlife that depends on it. For instance, the Piping Plover depends on this area as their habitat, as do Ontario’s turtles, all of which are endangered and require these special measures to protect them. This protection is required year-round - restricting mechanical raking, protecting sand dunes from human interference, and protecting nests with fenced buffer zones.

Transferring expenses from the province to towns and cities may make the Ontario budget look lighter, but it is an irresponsible move to avoid investing in valuable provincial resources that voters entrust to Queen’s Park during elections. It also doesn’t get rid of the expenses, it just puts an enormous additional burden on smaller communities with less tax revenue, therefore putting existing services and in this case, environmental protections, at risk due to changes in the ability to maintain staffing and investment.

I am disappointed that this proposal is being considered and urge the province to reconsider.