COMMENTS on ERO 025-0694…

COMMENTS on ERO 025-0694
Proposed legislative amendments to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006, and Historical Parks Act to support the Town of Wasaga Beach’s Tourism Enhancement Proposal

I am not in agreement with the Proposed legislative amendments to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006, and Historical Parks Act to support the Town of Wasaga Beach’s Tourism Enhancement Proposal as outlined in ERO-025-0694.

The ERO-0694 brings up five questions that are not answered in the body of the proposal:

a) What is the disposition of the Piping Plover area in Beach 1? Note - this area has hosted 57 Piping Plover nests between 2008 to 2024 with 85 fledglings added to the overall Great Lakes total. Wasaga Beach 1 is the most productive area for Piping Plovers in Ontario. The Piping Plover breeding area remaining in Beach 1 is not guaranteed if public usage of the beach increases and maintenance is done during the breeding season.

b) What are the details on why the land transfer is necessary from the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park to the Town of Wasaga Beach? Note - 59 Ha of beach lands are planned to be transferred under the proposal affecting Beach 1 and 2, New Wasaga Beach and Allenwood Beach but no real details for necessity.

c) Other than the one condition of the land being transferred to remain public, what are the other conditions to be placed on the land transfer? Note - With a transfer of 59 Ha there must be other conditions not shown to the public.

d) What are the details on the cost-benefit analysis that were completed for this proposal? Note - These could have been included in the ERO-025-0694 document as an appendix.

e) Why was a detailed description of the Nancy Island Heritage Site and why it needs upgrades not included in the ERO-025-0694? Note - Nancy Island Heritage Site is mentioned in one of the links at the bottom of the ERO-025 -0694 but it does not have a detailed description or why it needs the upgrades mentioned.

Implications of the Land Transfer:

1) By removing the Sections 9(3) and 9(4) in the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act 2006, c12, to accommodate the Town of Wasaga Beach proposal, the Ontario Government leaves open the possibility of removing parts of other Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves or perhaps removing them entirely for whatever proposal suits the purpose. This sets a precedent. Currently the PPCRA requires that studies, reports and agreements of the Legislatures MPPs before lands totalling 1% of a park can be removed and or Sold. It’s not good that 3.12 % of the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park is proposed for land transfer. The Parks of the Province of Ontario belong to the Citizens of Ontario and meant to be protected in perpetuity. Removing Sections 9(3) and (4) makes it easier in the future give more parkland away. This must not be allowed to happen.

2) What will be affected by the Land Transfer:
• The Piping Plover habitat on the western end of Beach 1;
• Mature sand dunes behind the beaches which are currently providing ecological and stabilizing
functions including protection against high water, wind and storm events for private and public
lands as well as mitigating effects of climate change
• On Beach 1, “The Point” a significant earth science ANSI would be affected by the land transfer
• The mouth of the Nottawasaga River and its delta
• Risks to ecological integrity of sensitive habitats and long-standing management approaches

3) There is no guarantee that the Town of Wasaga Beach will do the same level of management of the beach areas at the same standards as present

4) Threats to the Piping Plovers and their habitat will continue if mechanical beach raking, dune alteration, and if nesting areas are not conserved with fenced buffered zones which protects nests from predators and human disturbance.

5) It’s highly likely that the Town of Wasaga might not continue to support conservation of the Piping Plover habitat on Beach 1 without intervening funding from the Province.

This can be done instead:

1) For 18 years, since the Piping Plovers returned in 2007, tourism, recreational use of the beach and conservation of the Piping Plovers has coexisted. There is no need to change that. The Tourism Enhancement Proposal could be done even without the transfer of lands from Wasaga Beach Provincial Park.

2) Encourage ecotourism and birdwatching as two other reasons to come to the Town of Wasaga Beach. The Town could have a Piping Plover Festival when the Piping Plovers return each year in the Spring.

3) Support education regarding the Piping Plovers i.e., why they’re important reminders of biodiversity in a changing world due to climate change.

4) Leave the PPCRA alone. Sections 9(3) and 9(4) do not need to be removed. Tourism Enhancement of the Wasaga Beach can go ahead already if the Town and Provincial Government just get together, talk, and do a deal without wasting time and effort on a land transfer. All that needs to be said is Yes, let’s make a deal the way it is.

5) The longest freshwater beach in the world and Ontario’s most visited Provincial Park in one place is a happy coincidence. Isn’t it indeed fortunate to also have one of the most important bird species in Ontario nesting on Wasaga Beach? The Town of Wasaga Beach needs to cash more in on the triad of the three items just mentioned and less on development.

Conclusion:

Removing sections 9(3) and 9(4) from the PPCRA 2006, c12 is not a good idea. It sets a precedent of the parts of or entire provincial parks and conservation reserves being removed. Our parks and reserves are for the people of Ontario and the future citizens of this province.

So far, the Province of Ontario has been casting aside environmental legislation for expedient reasons. That sees the environmental legislation of the Province set back at least 80 years. Let’s put a stop to this expediency by leaving the PPCRA alone and perhaps reinstating legislation lost. Only 11% of the Province of Ontario is protected. International agreements are suggesting 30%. Ontario lags behind. We need to reserve, conserve and preserve more lands in this Province, not remove them for land transfers.

Let’s not take out lands from Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. It’s not right and what do we say to the children of the Province of Ontario with this example. Leave Beaches 1 and 2, New Wasaga Beach and Allenwood Beach alone. There’s nothing really wrong with the status quo. People are still going to visit Wasaga Beach for their recreation and vacations. If the Town really wants to implement a Tourism Enhancement, they need to work with the Government of Ontario to find local solutions without taking 59 Ha of beach lands out of the Province’s most popular Park.

The Piping Plover seems forgotten in this ERO-O25-0694 Tourism Enhancement Proposal. This little bird is a toughie and should be more admired by the Town of Wasaga Beach. They have a gold mine in this bird species and do not really know it and are not taking advantage of it. Why they do not promote the Piping Plover in ecotourism or have a Festival celebrating the bird is perplexing. The Town of Wasaga Beach could use part of that $38 000 000 to promote their Town as home of the biggest Piping Plover nesting area in the Province. The local boards of education could lobby the Town to do more with the Piping Plover being an approach to climate change solutions.

So, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Proposed legislative amendments to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006, and Historical Parks Act to support the Town of Wasaga Beach’s Tourism Enhancement Proposal as outlined in ERO-025-0694.