This is an absolutely…

This is an absolutely ridiculous proposal.

The idea that the current government has been given the mandate to dismantle and privatize any part of our Provincial Parks could not be further from the truth. Provincial Parks belong to all Ontarians, if the government truly believes this is what is best for the province AND that it is truly the will of the people, any privatization or dismantling of Provincial Parks should be put to a referendum.

Provincial Parks are a cherished part of the social fabric in Ontario. They should be expanded and better protected. They provide an opportunity for Ontarians of all economic means and backgrounds to experience the nature that makes this Province so great.

Outside of the benefits to Ontarians, Provincial Parks also play an important role in providing habitat for the plants and animals that call our province home. Many of these plants and animals are endangered or threatened, and Provincial Parks provide one of the last refuges from the development and sprawl that is consuming wide swaths of this province.

Privatization of resources and assets that belong to Ontarians should not be done so lightly. Once that decision has been made it becomes incredibly expensive and difficult to undo. One of this government's favourite talking points is about highways, could you imagine how different that discussion would be if the 407 had not been privatized? Time and time again private corporations have demonstrated that they are incapable of being effective stewards of the resources they own. We can expect more of the same when it comes to privatization of any Provincial Park land - despite what these companies and developers may promise.

Speaking specifically to the proposal for Wasaga - if the town wants to create a "world class destination" they should do it within the land that is already developed, not by carving up the very thing that already makes it a world class destination. Seems an awful lot like killing the goose that lays the golden egg.