Asking party leaders, candidates to protect the Nottawasaga River

The following letter has been sent on behalf of AWARE Simcoe to federal party leaders and local candidates

From the time of Confederation, each and every Canadian has had the right to travel on 40,000 lakes and 2.5 million rivers across the land. In October, 2012, the Conservative government brought forward an Omnibus Bill that changed dozens of laws, including the iconic Navigable Waters Protection Act. Under the new Navigation Protection Act, federal protection of citizens’ right to navigate our country’s waterways was withdrawn from all but 100 lakes and 61 rivers that were listed, or “scheduled” in the act.

The Nottawasaga River, a key Southern Ontario waterway running through Dufferin, Grey and Simcoe counties into Lake Huron, is not on that list.

For the rivers and lakes not included in the act—known as non-scheduled waters—the common law applies, which means the onus for policing violations—large docks, materials dumped into the river, construction that affects the flow of water—has been transferred to boaters and other users of the river, and outcomes will be decided in court.
AWARE Simcoe, a local citizens’ group, asks that the Nottawasaga River be included in the Navigation Protection Act. We believe the Nottawasaga River qualifies, and its protection should not fall to some public-spirited citizen willing to go to court to enforce our common-law rights.

More than 500 people have signed a petition supporting our request.

Seven municipalities, including Essa, Clearview, Melancthon, Mono, Oro-Medonte, Springwater and Wasaga Beach have endorsed our request, as well as Simcoe County and the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority. Attached to this email, please find reports that have been prepared by Clearview Township and the NVCA in favour of including the Nottawasaga in the new act.

In October of this year, Canadians will be voting in a federal election. To further this important decision, we are asking you to explain your position on the Navigation Protection Act, and on including the Nottawasaga and other waterways across the country in the act.

Please forward your response to: aware.simcoe@gmail.com Your comments will be published on the AWARE Simcoe website and forwarded to the people who signed the petition.

Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Respectfully yours,

Kate Harries and Anne Learn Sharpe