I oppose the proposed…

I oppose the proposed amendments to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 and the Historical Parks Act to support the Town of Wasaga Beach’s Tourism Enhancement Proposal.

These acts exist to protect ecologically sensitive areas and to safeguard the cultural and historical integrity of our parks. Weakening these protections to facilitate tourism development undermines their purpose and sets a dangerous precedent for other protected areas across Ontario.

Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is not simply a tourism asset; it is an irreplaceable natural habitat, home to species at risk, and part of Ontario’s shared environmental heritage. Tourism enhancement projects that require legislative exceptions risk prioritizing short-term economic gains over long-term ecological and financial stability. Once natural areas are degraded, they cannot be restored to their original state.

Our provincial parks are not blank spaces on a map waiting to be monetize. They are living classrooms, sanctuaries for wildlife, and part of our shared identity. Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is home to rare species and sensitive habitats. Amending the laws meant to protect them for the sake of “tourism enhancement” sends a message that conservation is conditional, and that our natural heritage is negotiable if the price is right.

I want to live in a province that thinks beyond the next fiscal quarter..one that values the environment as a foundation for our quality of life, not an obstacle to development. Tourism can and should flourish here, but it must work within the strong protections we already have, not erode them.

As someone who will inherit the consequences of today’s decisions, I urge you to reject these amendments. Protecting our parks isn’t just about nostalgia - it’s about responsibility, foresight, and respect for the land that has given us so much.