As a resident of Wasaga…

As a resident of Wasaga Beach, this proposal is dangerous and irresponsible. Wasaga Beach attracts many visitors from all over to experience the world's largest freshwater beach, many of whom park their vehicles in Wasaga Beach Provincial Park's parking lots. Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is one of the most visited provincial parks in Ontario and therefore, a major revenue generator for Ontario Parks as a whole. Beach areas 1 and 2 are popular areas for people to park and go to the beach, and by selling off each of those areas, Wasaga Beach Provincial Park will effectively lose half of their revenue. This proposal puts ALL provincial parks in danger since the safety nets would be removed, no matter how popular your park is or how much money the park generates.

Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is not only a major revenue generator, it is home to the piping plover, an endangered species of bird. These piping plovers require specific conditions on the beach itself in order to nest. Historically, the piping plovers have nested in Beach Area 1, Beach Area 2, New Wasaga, and Allenwood. Wasaga Beach Provincial Park has cared for these birds and maintained their habitats to their exact specifications. By selling off these areas of land, the new owners may not even care about the existence of the piping plovers at all and will effectively eliminate the piping plover from Wasaga Beach entirely. Think of the all the other provincial parks in Ontario that have their own endangered species, they are now at risk with this new proposal.

On top of all of that, jobs at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park are all at risk. This change will remove a huge chunk of gate attendant, maintenance, park warden, and discovery positions at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. All of these positions are a major attraction for those looking for their first job, for those looking to pursue law enforcement with the Ontario Provincial Police, or wherever people go on their future endeavors. Finding a job in Wasaga Beach is already difficult enough, especially those that do not have access to a reliable mode of transportation. By selling 60% of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park's land, unemployment is at risk of rising in Wasaga Beach.

Overall, this proposal is risky for the economy, for the environment, and for the community. We need to maintain Wasaga Beach’s status as a cherished destination for visitors from around the province, the country, and even the world. There are other ways to invest in the future of Wasaga Beach without impacting Wasaga Beach Provincial Park in any way. I urge you to reconsider this proposal as it sets a dangerous precedent that puts all provincial parks at risk which harms the environment, communities, and the economy.