I’m highly concerned about…

I’m highly concerned about this proposal. The beach habitat of the Great Lakes is important to a variety of shoreline birds. This proposal for the development of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park does not appear to consider negative implications of reducing the breeding habitat of species at risk which are legally protected. The Piping Plover is an endangered species under the Species at Risk Act that is known to use these beaches for breeding and their nest sites are highly sensitive to disturbances from development. Provincial parks are supposed to safeguard the species that reside within them and preserve the little intact habitats remaining in Southern Ontario. The notion that Provincial Parks can be negotiated and sold off is very disheartening. Similar to the provincial Endanger Species Act, the little environmental legislation (including the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act) that protects and advocates for our environment should not be weaken to further benefit economic interests. Our biodiversity shouldn’t be jeopardized at the expense of increasing tourism in the case of Wasaga Beach which is already highly touristy designation. I believe other options should be considered to achieve this revitalization of the beach areas and disturbances to beach habitat need to be minimized during bird breeding.