I'm very concerned about the…

I'm very concerned about the Government of Ontario's proposal that the land at Wasaga Beach – where Piping Plovers nest – be transferred from Ontario Parks to the Town of Wasaga because it will put Ontario’s endangered Piping Plovers at even higher risk.

If the boundaries shift, as the proposal outlines, the recent weakening of habitat protections under the Ontario Endangered Species Act with the passing of Bill 5 means this important Piping Plover habitat will be left with no provincial protection. Additionally, federal legislation doesn’t protect Piping Plover habitat in Ontario unless it’s on federal land.

One of the most important nesting sites for the endangered Piping Plover in Ontario is Wasaga Beach, on the shores of Georgian Bay. The critical natural beach habitat at Wasaga has produced half of the province’s Piping Plover fledglings since 2007.
At he very least, the Government of Ontario must ensure that Piping Plovers are conserved and protected by a science-based management plan and resources that:
•Reduces threats to Piping Plover and their habitat year-round by restricting mechanical raking so that the habitat is not destroyed, prohibiting dune alteration, and protecting nests with fenced buffer zones and natural predator mitigations.
•Commits funding to protect, conserve, and steward Piping Plovers, their nests, and their habitats.
•Engages experts like Birds Canada at development and implementation phases.
Thank you.