Peaceful Parks Coalition: Gutting of MNR, PPS = no woodlands, Algonquin leased

Email from Peaceful Parks Coalition November 26 2012 

The Ministry of Natural Resources is being gutted by staff layoffs and budget restraints.    

To cope with the cutbacks, it is streamlining programs and handing off responsibilities to ‘stewardship partners’ such as hunting and angling groups. 

The Liberal government is calling the cutbacks a ‘transformation’ and streamlining a ‘modernization of approvals’.   

In truth, MNR’s role was to exploit natural resources and was ineffective in environmental protection.

However, we do not support hunting and angling groups managing wildlife populations on behalf of MNR or using public funds to ‘contract out’ to hunting and angling groups to do the work of MNR.   

A recent policy paper released by the Liberal govt. entitled: Modernization of Approvals – Policy Paper  hinted at transferring MNR responsibilities to new partners such as licensing, and streamlining approvals.  In some cases, approvals would be eliminated altogether and replaced by regulations. 

Therefore, as long as the regulations were adhered to, no approvals are necessary.

How compliance would be enforced was not explained. The policy paper was vague but it set the stage of things to come.

You can read the Modernization of Approvals – Policy Paper on the

EBR Registry http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/

EBR # 011-6751

 

Many people are unaware of the Planning Act and specifically the Provincial Policy Statement within the Planning Act.

The Planning Act falls under the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) and governs how cities can develop lands.

The Provincial Policy Statement is very important because it ensures environmental protection when planning development projects.

Kathleen Wynn was the minister before stepping down to run for the leader of the Ontario Liberals.  Before resigning, Kathleen Wynn introduced new policy for the Provincial Policy Statement that significantly weakens environmental protection for farmland, wetlands, woodlands and wildlife habitat.

Most notably, is the removal to protect significant woodlands in southern Ontario. 

This is terrible because southern Ontario has very little woodlands left, and people have fought very hard to protect what little there is often citing the Provincial Policy Statement.

Other proposed changes will allow aggregate extraction to occur almost anywhere in the province including wetlands as long as the operators rehabilitate the land once depleted. 

An impossible task given that removing huge amounts of rock and gravel permanently changes hydrology and soil conditions, meaning that an ecosystem can never return to its original state.

The changes to the Provincial Policy Statement were posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry for public comment.  The comment period closed this week but please continue to send in your comments.   

With the legislature prorogued there is no debate, therefore please copy your MPP.

Your comments should be sent to:

Darryl.Lyons@ontario.ca

Team Lead

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

EBR # 011-7070

EBR Registry http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/

 

The Liberal govt. is considering extending private cottage leases in Algonquin Park for another 21 years until 2038. There are a total of 326 cottages.

The cottages were originally introduced to Algonquin in the 1920s to offset a provincial $15 million dollar deficit. The leases are being extended today for the same reason. 

Rondeau and Algonquin Provincial Parks are the only parks in Ontario that allow private cottages.

The issue of private cottages in provincial parks has always been contentious because cottage owners tend to be wealthy and have privileged and subsidized access to an otherwise public resource.

 What is unusual about this proposal is that the Liberal govt. is separating cottage lease agreements between Rondeau and Algonquin Park. Usually, renewals are proposed for both parks together.

Private cottages have been more contentious in Rondeau Park because cottagers have transformed the fragile sand dune beach habitat into a massive subdivision with stately cottages, manicured front lawns and four door garages  

It has always been presumed that cottages in Algonquin Park have a lighter ecological footprint, and therefore people have been more tolerant of cottages in Algonquin.

But this is not true.  The only difference between Rondeau cottages and the ones in Algonquin Park is road access.

Cottages in Algonquin Park use generators for electricity, have motor boats, introduce non-native species, have lawns, gardens, sceptic tanks and can build onto their cottages making them bigger and bigger.  They can be rented, generating revenue for the owners and the owners have private access to one of the province’s most beloved provincial parks.

The new lease conditions limit some of these negative attributes but it fails to address the core issue – that of private ownership of a public resource.

If adopted, the Liberal govt. will likely extend the same offer to Rondeau cottage leaseholders and we will never have these two provincial parks returned to the public.

 You can read the full proposal here:

 1. Private Cottage Leases in Algonquin Provincial Park: A Policy Proposal (2012) http://web2.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Parks/MNR-450BN-2012-1493-Proposal.pdf 

2. Algonquin Provincial Park – A Brief History of Cottage Lease Policy (2012) http://web2.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Parks/MNR-450BN-2012-1493-History.pdf

Send Your Comments to:

Rob Davis, Manager

Ministry of Natural Resources

Policy Division, Natural Heritage, Lands and Protected Spaces Branch

Parks and Protected Areas Policy Section

300 Water Street

Peterborough Ontario, K9J 8M5 

Phone: (705) 755-5216 

Fax: (705) 755-1701

Email: Rob.Davis@ontario.ca

 EBR # 011-7289

EBR Registry http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/