Amendment to Ontario Regulation 316/07 under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 to create Alfred Bog Provincial Park

ERO number
019-4868
Notice type
Regulation
Act
Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006
Posted by
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Notice stage
Decision
Decision posted
Comment period
September 22, 2022 - November 6, 2022 (45 days) Closed
Last updated

This consultation was open from:
September 22, 2022
to November 6, 2022

Decision summary

Ontario created Alfred Bog Provincial Park to provide greater protection to an ecologically important and sensitive area. The provincial park was created through regulation under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006.

Decision details

Ontario is working to preserve areas of significant environmental and ecological importance and continues to make further progress on protecting natural areas and promoting the importance of healthy, natural spaces.

Ontario Regulation 316/07: Designation and Classification of Provincial Parks under the Provincial Park and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 was amended to create Alfred Bog Provincial Park. The amended regulation came into effect on July 27, 2023.

Alfred Bog Provincial Park is a 7,878 acre (3,067 hectare) non-operating natural environment class park located 20 kilometres southwest of Hawkesbury and 70 kilometres east of Ottawa.

The new park will protect the largest peat bog in southern Ontario and is home to provincially and regionally rare animal species, including insects, birds, and reptiles.

As a non-operating park, Alfred Bog Provincial Park will provide greater protection to an ecologically important and sensitive area. This means that facilities and services within the park would be minimal or not provided. There are no fees associated with the use of non-operating parks.

The land will provide opportunities for the community to enjoy the area’s natural beauty, including walking on the Bog Walk Trail, hunting and birdwatching, while strengthening the long-term protection of biodiversity.

Although current recreational uses are limited given the wetland habitat, most will be able to continue with some exceptions (e.g., all-terrain vehicle use is now prohibited). Changes could be made in the future if uses threaten the values of the provincial park. These changes would be considered through a park management planning process which would include public consultation.

Comments received

Through the registry

61

By email

11

By mail

0
View comments submitted through the registry

Effects of consultation

Public consultation opportunity through the Environmental Registry was provided for 45 days, from September 22, 2022 to November 6, 2022.

Other consultations included:

  • a notice posted in English and French on the Regulatory Registry
  • direct mailings in English and French to Indigenous communities, local residents and stakeholder groups
  • a printed notice posted in English and French at Voyageur Provincial Park
  • social media posting on Environment Ontario social media accounts
  • an announcement and news release by Minister David Piccini at Alfred Bog

As a result of public consultation on the proposal, the Ministry received a total of 72 comments. Comments received were received through the ERO, by email and by phone.

Overall, the proposal was received favourably. Consultation with Indigenous communities, stakeholders and the public indicated that the 86 percent of consultation respondents supported, or partially supported, the creation of the provincial park.

Topics raised included:

  • support for protection due to ecological value of the park’s natural resources
  • interest in additional lands being added to the park
  • concern relating to the continuation of hunting in the park
  • concern about potential effects on use of adjacent private agricultural landowners
  • concern about negative effects from drainage on wetland hydrology from neighbouring lands
  • interest in ensuring appropriate consultation with Indigenous communities
  • although concerns were also raised about ATV use within the park, ATV use is not proposed and will not be permitted within the park given the significant environmental and ecological importance of the Alfred Bog

Comments regarding permitted uses will be considered during management planning.

If you would like to be involved in the management planning process for Alfred Bog Provincial Park, please contact Kendra Couling, A/Senior Park Planner at kendra.couling@ontario.ca.

Ministry’s response to topics raised

Although most comments support the protection of the bog’s ecologically rare and sensitive habitat, below is the ministry’s response to concerns and interests that were raised.

Interest in additional lands being added to the park

Some comments expressed interest in protecting additional Alfred Bog lands through the provincial park proposal.

Ontario Parks would support, in principle, the acquisition of property for the purposes of addition to the park, if acquisition will enhance the values of the park.

Concern relating to the continuation of hunting in the park

Concerns ranged from potential negative impacts on sensitive bog features, to trespassing, safety and other concerns from several adjacent private landowners (based on existing issues).

The existing hunting on foot does not appear to negatively affect the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Alfred Bog. Hunting occurs on the edges of the bog habitat, and access is limited. Most hunting activity within the Alfred Bog is moose hunting (controlled hunt, bows only). Harvest information reported to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry indicates that moose hunting activity within the Alfred Bog is low.

Continuing to allow sustainable hunting of game mammals (but not furbearing mammals), game birds and migratory game birds is not anticipated to significantly increase the level of hunting activity within the proposed provincial park lands.

Concern about potential effects on use of adjacent private agricultural landowners

The Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA) and regulations under the act apply within the boundaries of a provincial park and do not apply to adjacent privately owned land. Regulation of the lands as provincial park would not directly change allowable uses on adjacent private lands. All existing legal land uses (such as agricultural uses) adjacent to the proposed provincial park continue subject to applicable provincial statutes, regulations and municipal by-laws.

Concern about negative effects from drainage on wetland hydrology from neighbouring lands

Discussion would occur between MECP and municipalities regarding existing constructed drains located within the proposed provincial park and currently administered under the Drainage Act.

Water management, including drainage and hydrology, is one topic that would be considered during park management planning, including Indigenous community, stakeholder, adjacent landowner and public consultation.

Interest in ensuring appropriate consultation with Indigenous communities

Ontario respects Aboriginal and treaty rights, as recognized and affirmed under the Constitution Act, 1982. The ministry has directly notified local Indigenous communities who hold Aboriginal or treaty rights that may be impacted by the proposed provincial park and is committed to meeting the province's constitutional obligations.

For this proposal, early engagement occurred with the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO), for both proposed park establishment and management planning. The AOO have indicated being supportive of provincial park establishment.

Supporting materials

View materials in person

Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.

Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.

Voyageur Provincial Park
Address

1313 Front Rd
Chute-à-Blondeau , ON
K0B 1B0
Canada

Office phone number

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Original proposal

ERO number
019-4868
Notice type
Regulation
Act
Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006
Posted by
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Proposal posted

Comment period

September 22, 2022 - November 6, 2022 (45 days)

Proposal details

Ontario is committed to working with leaders in land and water conservation, like the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), to preserve areas of significant environmental and ecological importance across the province.

To support this commitment, we are proposing to create Alfred Bog Provincial Park, a natural environment class park. The approximately 3067-hectare area is 20 km southwest of Hawkesbury and 70 km east of Ottawa (see map in the Supporting materials section).

The Alfred Bog site is:

  • one of only three raised bogs in southern Ontario
  • the largest remaining bog community in southern Ontario, an area where 70 per cent of wetlands have been lost

The proposed provincial park includes a combination of lands privately owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada and lands managed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry under the Public Lands Act. The lands have been purchased over the past several decades to create Alfred Bog Provincial Park.

The protection of the Alfred Bog is possible because of the support of partners, such as the NCC and the local municipality.

Alfred Bog Provincial Park would be a non-operating park. This means that facilities and services within the park would be minimal or not provided. There are no fees associated with the use of non-operating parks.

With that said, we would ensure long-term protection of biodiversity in this important and sensitive wetland while continuing to provide recreational opportunities for the public, including walking on the Bog Walk Trail, hunting and birdwatching.

Ontario’s provincial parks are established and regulated under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA).

These spaces:

  • protect sensitive and important places
  • allow visitors to learn about why these areas are important
  • allow visitors to participate in environmentally responsible recreation
  • allow for research to take place

Provincial parks are also assigned one of the following classifications:

  • wilderness
  • nature reserve
  • cultural heritage
  • natural environment
  • waterway
  • recreational

The park classification system provides a structured approach to how parks are designed, planned and managed. Different classes of parks contribute differently to the protected area system as identified in the PPCRA.

We are proposing that Alfred Bog Provincial Park be regulated as a natural environment class park. Natural environment class parks:

  • protect outstanding recreational landscapes and representative ecosystems
  • protect provincially significant elements of Ontario’s natural and cultural heritage
  • provide high quality recreational and educational experiences

We are seeking feedback on the creation of this new provincial park.

Proposed regulation change to protect the Alfred Bog

Establishment of this provincial park will require an amendment to Ontario Regulation 316/07 (Designation and Classification of Provincial Parks) under the PPCRA, which would add a new row to Table 1: Provincial Parks of Ontario that will:

  • list the provincial park’s name, classification and size
  • describe where it is found

The area meets the requirements to be considered for addition to Ontario’s protected area system and we want to regulate it as a provincial park.

Although current recreational uses are limited given the wetland habitat, most would be able to continue with some exceptions (e.g. all-terrain vehicle use). Changes could be made in the future if uses threaten the values of the provincial park. These changes would be considered through a management planning process which would include public consultation. Industrial and some commercial uses would be restricted in these areas.

Proposed regulation change to continue to allow hunting

Under the PPCRA, hunting is not permitted in a provincial park unless it is allowed by regulation made under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 (FWCA).

Hunting is currently permitted in the areas proposed for regulation (following rules associated with the Wildlife Management Unit). The NCC is aware that hunting occurs on the private land portion. The proposal is to continue to allow sustainable hunting of game mammals, game birds and migratory game birds (but not furbearing mammals) in this area from the first day of the open season for that mammal or bird or September 15, whichever occurs later, to the last day of the open season.

Should the proposal to establish the provincial park proceed, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry intends to amend Ontario Regulation 663/98 (Area Descriptions) under the FWCA, concurrent with regulation changes to Ontario Regulation 316/07 (Designation and Classification of Provincial Parks) under the PPCRA to establish the park. No additional opportunity for comments will be provided.

Regulatory Impact Analysis

There are no costs to regulated stakeholders resulting from creation of the park and continuing to permit hunting within the park. There are benefits to the general public, including permanent protection of sensitive habitat and permitting environmentally sustainable recreation to continue. There are no anticipated environmental impacts from the proposal.

Given that there are no other ways to establish a new provincial park boundary, amending PPCRA O. Reg. 316/07 is the only option. Given that there are no other ways to permit hunting in a provincial park, amending FWCA O. Reg. 663/98 is the only option.

Other opportunities for public consultation

Direct notification of the project has been sent to Indigenous communities, stakeholders and adjacent landowners.

Supporting materials

View materials in person

Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.

Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.

Voyageur Provincial Park
Address

1313 Front Rd
Chute-à-Blondeau , ON
K0B 1B0
Canada

Office phone number

Comment

Commenting is now closed.

This consultation was open from September 22, 2022
to November 6, 2022

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Contact

Susan Grigg

Email address
Office
Ontario Parks, South Eastern Zone Office
Address

51 Heakes Lane
Kingston, ON
K7M 9B1
Canada

Office phone number