I do not support this…

I do not support this proposal for the following reasons:
-permanent protection: Parks are meant to be permanently protected, according to the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act (PPCRA), and are dedicated and set aside as public spaces now and for future generations, and to protect the environment and species who live there. They should not be made available to a municipality or other 3rd party with a different or conflicting mandate.
-precedent: It sets a very problematic precedent that could affect other provincial parks or public spaces should a municipality or developer approach the province with dreams of developing valuable provincial park land. Is Bronte Creek in Oakville next? How about Arrowhead in Huntsville?
-public resource going to developers: The Town of Wasaga Beach has a track record of facilitating the sale or transfer of land to developers who do not have a mandate for public benefit but rather for individual profit. It feels like a flow-through to developers of a public and valuable resource (great lakes shoreline and land).
-lack of transparency: The specific proposed legislative amendments have not been made public, which does not allow for a fair or meaningful way for the public to participate in decision making, which is not in keeping with the PPCRA or Environmental Bill of Rights.
-creating a faster legislative mechanism for future park disposal: the PPCRA already includes a mechanism to dispose of park land by seeking the proper approvals and following certain processes - why the need to change the PPCRA for this proposal if not to facilitate removal of other park land from the provincial park system or to circumvent the necessary approvals and processes?
-lack of Indigenous community consulation: I seriously question whether there has been meaningful consultation with Indigenous communities who could be potentially affected. The province should take its duty to consult seriously.
-continuing the tradition of public access: Wasaga Beach Provincial Park has been an important tourist destination since the 1950s. Many many many people have fond memories of being able to go to the beach as a public space. What safeguards would there be that the beach would not be made inaccessible to the public and sold or gifted to private individuals for profits (eg. Increased municipal property taxes, or to a developer who wants to offer private beach to buyers)?
-effective elimination of environmental protection: regardless of what the Town of Wasaga Beach states, this proposal would effectively eliminate meaningful environmental protection by removing the legal mandate to protect significant species and their habitat, particularly in light of the gutted Environmental Assessment Act and Endangered Species Act. The town and developers do not have the same legal mandate to protect the environment as does the provincial park system. Protecting the significant habitats and species at Wasaga Beach would give way to short term tourism goals (more beach grooming and vegetation removal), which would threaten species through habitat and biodiversity loss, as well as infrastructure through erosion.
-other less permanent solutions are available: there are ways to achieve similar objectives to improve the town's economic position without permanently removing park land - leave the land as part of the park and consider commercial or other agreements to achieve similar goals, eg. Algonquin Outfitters operates stores, restaurants and provides services in Algonquin Park.