Steel River Provincial Park Management Plan

This notice was originally posted in the old Environmental Registry under number 011-2468.

Description of Policy

Steel River Provincial Park is located north of Highway 17, northeast of the Township of Terrace Bay (population 1,950) and was regulated in 1989 as a waterway class park. The park encompasses 10,572 hectares of lands and waters (lake and river bed). The 160 kilometre long waterway encompasses a 200 metre corridor along each side of the Steel River and Lake system north from Santoy and Diablo Lakes to terminate at Gehan Lake.

The park represents several earth and life science features for Site Districts 3W-4 and 3W-5. Earth science features include well-exposed schists, gneisses, pillow lavas and granitic intrusive rocks of the Wawa Belt, Superior Province and Precambrian Shield. The park is characterised by deep fault-controlled bedrock valleys, and esker/gravel train deposits in the northern portion of the Steel River valley. The southern portion of the Steel River valley is characterised by lacustrine sand deposits, deeply incised by meandering stream channels, meander scars, oxbow lakes, kettles, and terraces.

The Steel River is a designated provincial canoe route consisting of three separate published trips ranging from 3-10 days in length. Other recreation activities include sport fishing and sport hunting. The lakes and streams of the park are known for both lake trout and brook trout fisheries. There is some fly-in tourism for the same recreational purposes.

Purpose of Policy

To protect Steel River Provincial Park’s outstanding natural and cultural heritage, and guide its use, development, management and operation for a 20-year period.

Other Information

The web link listed below provides additional information on the management planning process 

http://www.ontarioparks.com/planning

Public Consultation

This proposal was posted for a 60 day public review and comment period starting April 18, 2011. Comments were to be received by June 17, 2011.

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

Responses to the invitation to participate will be used to develop a mailing list of individuals, groups and businesses who wish to be involved in the management plan review process.

Direct mailing to a mandatory contact list will ensure that provincial stakeholders and government organizations will be included in the process. Advertisements will be placed in regional print media, and copies of all public notices will be placed on the Ontario Parks website.

Paid advertisements will be placed in regional print media and public notices will be mailed to agencies, groups or individuals on the project mailing list.

The following are the opportunities for Aboriginal communities and the public to participate in the planning process (dates beyond stage one are tentative):

Stage one - Invitation to Participate, Invitation to Inspect Approved Terms of Reference and Opportunity to Review Background Information file (April 18 2011 - June 17 2011)

Stage two – opportunity to review management proposals (2011)

Stage three - opportunity to review preliminary park management plan (2012)

Stage four - release of approved park management plan (2012)