Amendments to Killbear Provincial Park boundary – Crown Land Use Amendment 2014-001

Description of policy

Killbear Provincial Park is a 1,753.7 hectare (ha) natural environment class park, located on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Killbear is situated in the geographic Township of Carling, in the District of Parry Sound. The park is located on a peninsula west of the Town of Parry Sound. Two boundary amendments are proposed that were included as implementation priorities in the Killbear Provincial Park Management Plan (2000).

The first proposed boundary change includes the addition of 131.62 ha of land to the park (the Crown-owned portions of Lots 64 and 65, Concession 8, which are immediately adjacent to the park’s western boundary and currently designated as General Use Area). This addition is being proposed because the lots contain a variety of wetland ecosites and habitat for the provincially threatened Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake that will complement existing habitat in the park.

The second proposed boundary change includes the removal of 1.95 ha of land from the park (Lot 63, Concession IX, Carling Township). The Township of Carling operates a landfill site on the east side of the park which currently encroaches on the regulated park boundary. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) intends to transfer the land containing the encroachment to the Township. Prior to doing this, MNRF must deregulate the land which includes the landfill’s main entrance road and limited parking/turnaround area.

Purpose of policy

To invite comment on the proposed amendments to the boundary of Killbear Provincial Park.

Other information

Search under amendment tracking number 2014-001 on the Crown Land Use Policy Atlas.

The boundary amendment is being undertaken in accordance with the approved management plan for the park as well as under A Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves (Class EA-PPCR) as a Category B project.

Public consultation

This proposal was posted for a 47 day public review and comment period starting June 01, 2016. Comments were to be received by July 18, 2016.

All comments received during the comment period are being considered as part of the decision-making process by the Ministry.

Please Note: All comments and submissions received have become part of the public record.

Other public consultation opportunities

The proposed boundary amendments were subject to public consultation as part of the process for the approval of the Killbear Provincial Park Management Plan. View the Environmental Registry notice, by searching PB8E3006.

In addition to this posting on the Environmental Registry, direct mailing to a contact list is occurring to ensure that Aboriginal communities, local stakeholders, government organizations, adjacent landowners and others expected to have interest will all be included in the consultation process. Persons not included in the initial mailing who wish to be involved in the process may have their names added to the mailing list by communicating with the contact listed in this notice.

Ontario Parks will consider the comments received during this consultation period in the development of the recommended land use policy proposal.

If the proposed land use amendment is approved, a subsequent regulation change will be made to O. Reg. 316/07 of the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 regarding the regulated boundary of the park. No additional opportunity for public comment on these regulation changes will be provided via the Environmental Registry.