I'm writing to strongly…

I'm writing to strongly oppose the Ontario Government's plan to amend the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act and the Town of Wasaga Beach's Tourism Enhancement Proposal.

Provincial Parks belong to us, the people of Ontario and must be protected forever. Our Provincial Parks are key public spaces for outdoor recreation, essential to Canada's commitment to protect 30% of nature by 2030 including key endangered species habitat, and important nature-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change! Removing, selling, privatizing and "developing" our provincial parks takes away the generational wealth of the Ontario public, putting our species, ecosystems, climate, communities and future generations at risk.

Wasaga Beach is the most visited Provincial Park. People come from the city to enjoy nature including the beaches, sand dunes, islands, wetlands and forests. They come to surf, kiteboard, kayak, hike, swim and more. Removing protected provincial park area including public beaches and water access for private development won't enhance tourism in Wasaga Beach, it will reduce accessibility, increase crowding and devalue the natural outdoor recreation assets that Wasaga's local tourism industry is built upon.

In conclusion, I DO NOT support the proposed legislation amendments and further demand that Ontario's provincial parks remain public and protected forever.

Please take this comment to heart. I believe I speak for many people who live in and outside of Canada. We don't need more tourism. We need to protect nature, wonder in its beauty, and learn from it.