I am a youth living in…

I am a youth living in Ontario. My connection to our province’s wild places is not nostalgic; it’s foundational to my identity and future. That’s why the proposal to strip Nancy Island and large portions of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park from their protective frameworks strikes me as not only misguided but emblematic of a dangerous, broader trend.

In 2025, Ontario has seen a worrying dismantling of environmental safeguards:

Bill 5 - the “Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act” repeals the once-robust Endangered Species Act, replacing it with a weaker Species Conservation Act. The new law narrows the legal definition of "habitat" to only immediate den sites or root zones, eliminating protection for the broader. home range many species need to thrive. It replaces science-based decision-making with political discretion over species listings, and removes requirements for recovery planning, meaningful enforcement, and transparent oversight

Beyond biodiversity law - Ontario has fast-tracked projects like Highway 413 without environmental assessments or full Indigenous consultation . It's another example of sidelining ecological and community considerations in favour of economic expediency which is shortsighted.

At a time when provincial law is being hollowed, setting dangerous precedents, why are we now proposing to downgrade protection for Nancy Island? Removing it from the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act and the legal shield that comes with it? This isn't just about a tiny island or a few hectares of shoreline. If it’s acceptable to weaken protections here, what's next? A precedent that publicly, legislatively signals that conservation is only temporary, contingent on tourism demands.

I urge decision-makers to pause and reflect:

We already weakened the very laws protecting wildlife and ecosystems this year so why add fuel to the fire?

Once protections are removed, the loss is often irreversible. Fragile habitats and species can’t simply be restored once they're destabilized.

I demand that our parks serve as sanctuaries as they always have been and not development zones. The laws we erode now will define the landscapes and by extension, quality of life, that we pass on to the next generation.

Reject the amendments that strip Nancy Island and other parts of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park of their protections. Uphold the integrity of our environmental laws and demonstrate that conservation, not convenience, is what Ontario values.