The proposed sale and…

The proposed sale and transfer of significant portions of the Wasaga beachfront, raise serious concerns about the future of public waterfront access in Ontario.

Amendments to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Acts to remove or weaken these legislative approval requirements, seemingly to facilitate the sale of park lands without sufficient democratic oversight are a disgusting affront to Ontarians. Provincial Parks are designated to be protected for all Ontarians, offering vital recreational spaces and preserving critical habitats. Wasaga Beach, as the longest freshwater beach in the world, is a prime example of a public asset enjoyed by hundreds of thousands annually. Its natural ecosystems, including wetlands and dunes, are crucial for biodiversity and climate resilience.
While the stated intention is to transfer some land to the Town of Wasaga Beach for tourism development, the broader concern is the precedent this sets. Weakening the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act to streamline land disposition could open the door for similar sales of other cherished provincial parks across Ontario, potentially leading to widespread loss of public access and environmental degradation.
Ontarians have a right to access their public lands and waters. The current actions, especially the proposed legislative amendments, appear to undermine this fundamental right by making it easier to privatize or develop areas that should remain publicly owned and protected for future generations. This move contradicts the spirit of the laws designed to safeguard our natural heritage and ensures public enjoyment of our valuable waterfronts.

This whole scheme reeks of corruption and Ontarians should not have to even engage with letter writing like this to protect our access to beachfront.