While I appreciate the…

While I appreciate the statements made by Wasaga Beach's Mayor Smith on July 30, 2025—that the land would not go to developers, that there are no plans to build on it, that environmentally sensitive dune areas will be preserved, and that no sensitive habitats are under threat, they are not part of the Destination Wasaga Master Plan, and he offers no guarantee they will be upheld. I am opposed to the proposed transfer of Crown-Owned Provincial Park Lands within Beach Areas 1, 2, New Wasaga, and Allenwood Beach to the Town of Wasaga Beach. The Park's ecological integrity must be upheld, and keeping the land within a Provincial Park is the best way to do this.

Ontario Parks staff alone has the specialized expertise to be a good steward and maintain the ecology of the park lands, whereas the municipality does not. The environment and the endangered species in it must be preserved and protected. The environment, the freshwater dunes, held together by globally imperilled marram grass, require careful, science-based management. The town of Wasaga Beach is not able to do this. Endangered species, specifically the Piping Plover, have their critical nesting habitat in Beach Areas 1, New Wasaga, and Allenwood, which must, similarly, remain protected within the aegis of the Provincial Park. These birds have coexisted with tourism only because of active protection and monitoring by Ontario Parks, since their return to this beach in 2008. The current proposal would strip this vital protection from nearly all their nesting areas. This would be a disaster for this endangered species, and would signal that the Ontario government is not serious about protecting endangered species generally. These are fragile ecosystems, and the Town of Wasaga Beach lacks the capacity and specialized knowledge needed to safeguard these, a fact that is agreed upon by Independent experts. The town seeks only to promote and support intensive recreational use, which will no doubt come at the expense of fragile ecosystems.

Every stretch of beachfront within the park — from Beach Area 1 to Allenwood — is part of a rare and ecologically significant ecosystem that benefits all Ontarians, including those who may never visit in person.

Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, like all Ontario parks and conservation reserves, belongs equally to all Ontarians. These lands are held in trust for the public. These lands must never be sold to developers or transferred to local control. In a time of escalating climate impacts, it is more urgent than ever to protect these sensitive areas, not dismantle their protections.

This will mark the first time that a piece of Ontario Parks land will be transferred to a municipality. Such a move sets a dangerous precedent. They are proposing changes to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA), which could open the door for other parks to face the same fate. I would hate to see this. I could never support a government that did this, purposely decreased environmental protection.

I want the Government of Ontario to maintain full provincial park protection for every inch of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. These lands must remain publicly owned, ecologically protected, and provincially managed — for the benefit of all current and future generations.

The official Plan, the Destination Wasaga Master Plan, must include beach and dune environmental protections, and must be completed and adopted before any transfer of park land occurs. The Town must ensure that the strong environmental protections of Wasaga Beach by Ontario Parks for the past 70 years are maintained and strengthened. The
Destination Wasaga Master Plan must zone the affected parcels as “Environment Protected (EP)” in the Zoning Bylaw, and must confirm that the Point in Beach Area 1 remains designated and legally protected as a provincially significant earth science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI).