Amendment to Ontario Regulation 316/07 under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 to add land to Bronte Creek Provincial Park (P4432)

Description of regulation

Ontario’s provincial parks are established and regulated under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006. Parks protect significant natural, cultural and recreational environments while providing opportunities for visitors to participate in recreational activities.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park is a 682 hectare (ha) recreational class provincial park first regulated in 1975. It is located on the Burlington-Oakville municipal boundary immediately north of the Queen Elizabeth Way/Highway 403.

In 2004, the Minister of Natural Resources announced the intent to add provincially owned lands located north of Bronte Creek Provincial Park, totalling approximately 68 hectares, to the park. These lands protect provincially significant life science features and are a critical link in connecting the park to the Niagara Escarpment. In 2012, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) acquired an additional four hectare parcel adjacent to the park that also contains provincially significant life science features.

MNR is proposing to regulate these 72 ha as part of Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Amending the boundary of Bronte Creek Provincial Park requires the amendment of Ontario Regulation (O.Reg.) 316/07 under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006.

Purpose of regulation

The purpose of the proposal is to seek public comment on the MNR’s proposal to amend the boundary of Bronte Creek Provincial Park.

Other information

Concurrent with this proposal, Ontario Parks is carrying out notification requirements under MNR’s A Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves for a minor boundary amendment to Bronte Creek Provincial Park. This includes providing notice to affected Aboriginal communities, adjoining landowners, other potentially affected parties and the appropriate MOE regional office.

The following weblinks provide supporting information about this notice:

Regulatory impact statement

The anticipated environmental consequences of the proposal are positive. By regulating the proposed additions, approximately 72 ha of land that contain provincially significant life science features will be permanently protected as a provincial park.

The anticipated social consequences of the proposal are positive. By regulating the proposed additions, the overall size of the provincial park will increase.

The anticipated economic consequences of the proposal are neutral. The lands proposed for the additions are currently provincially owned so no ownership change will occur.