The current Ontario government proposal to sever part of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park for private development and hotel building is yet another troubling example of the ongoing attack on Ontario’s natural heritage. Selling provincial park land is just the latest in a series of harmful actions, including the repeal of the Endangered Species Act under Bill 5, the stripping down of environmental assessment processes, and granting the government authority to designate special economic zones anywhere and exempt from environmental laws.
The table is being set to undermine Ontario’s system of protected lands started in 1893 when Algonquin Park was established. The government’s focus on unchecked development comes at the expense of nature, threatening iconic parks such as Arrowhead, Killarney, Sand Banks, Quetico, Bon Echo, and Frontenac—each vulnerable to being broken up and sold if current protections are weakened further. Existing safeguards in the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act are being extinguished, risking irreversible damage to our province’s natural treasures.
This is the Red Line. We must stand against the government’s contempt for conservation and their disconnect from the people’s love for Ontario’s parks and natural landscapes. The current proposal to remove nearly one-third—645 acres—of Wasaga Beach Park is alarming, but it’s just a glimpse of the broader threat: legislative changes that make it easier and faster to remove land from parks. These amendments would bypass necessary legislative approval for land removals beyond 1%, weakening protections that preserve biodiversity, recreational spaces, and ecological health.
Ironically much of Ontario parks system was created by previous Progressive Conservative governments. Weakening it risks turning parks into vulnerable assets for short-term profit, diluting Ontario’s natural legacy established by Premiers like Davis and Harris.
We must prioritize long-term conservation above all to ensure Ontario’s parks endure for future generations. The Parks and Conservation Reserves Act must be upheld as the critical shield protecting these areas.
Gord Miller – former Environmental Commissioner of Ontario and Chair of Earthroots
Bracebridge
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
No way should our park land be sold off. Come on government it’s not your personal arsenal. It belongs to the Canadian people. If you intend to go this route you probably won’t get voted in again.
Thankyou
I agree. Fresh air, fresh water and healthy ecosystems are becoming a luxury item for the few and not a human right for all.
You said conservative but Ford is more liberal than he has ever been conservative. Hobknobbing with Trudeau and the liberals making a lot of money during his term off the liberals. Doug Ford is not conservative as far as I’m concerned.
Smart! Wipe out some more of our trees and fun places to go. I wouldn’t object if you were putting low income housing but that’s not on anyone’s list and never has been. We need apartment buildings in Huntsville. The empire was good for renting little apartments.
Absolutely disgusting and alarming but not surprising under this conservative government It seems we’re following in the footsteps of the U.S. As Andy M. says: “we need them for survival.” I believe that we need more parks and more green spaces – not fewer. The Ford government needs to support the preservation of parks.
Alarming indeed, Gord. Thank you for this information and warning, which is sounding in the media from many concerned organisations.
It would seem that current urbanite political insouciance, ignorance, greedy opportunism, and disregard for long-standing public support and enjoyment of vital parks are running rough-shod over previous even progressive conservative preservation initiatives.
Flagrantly disconnected from the natural world as it is, the Ford government needs informed heavy resistance.
Leave our natural areas alone,we need them for survival,one it’s gone there’s no getting these important necessities back.Leave them alone.
We have until August 11 to comment on the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO-025-0694), but also consider a letter to our MPP Graydon Smith or Premier Doug Ford or perhaps a phone call inquiring about the likely decrease in protections to special places and endangered species. In the case of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, there are the unique sand dunes and a significant wetland and notably the endangered Piping Plover bird which will lose the Park’s protections as conservation responsibilities will be downloaded onto the municipality of Wasaga Beach. It seems that tourism development is the goal. This action ignores the tourism that already happens as international travellers come to the Park just for the Piping Plovers. Remind anyone of the European Spa development taking over Ontario Place? Protecting Ontario is becoming Ontario is for Sale. Sadly, not really unexpected from the Ford Government.
Have your say here. Save Wasaga Beach Provincial Park
https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-0694?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6Qaj439pdv-hL74BOZLsr8B8kdwoPk8tmmBLo7dl_4Zq-WLAYor8VNgkJ0mA_aem_mKIvrKUTZWIxoJMf78wnAg
What can we do to stop the selling of public parks and spaces – they must be preserved for our children and with the population of Canada growing, we will need more of these parks. They should never be privatized. An odd letter from us will do nothing. What can we do to stop this?
Ford is only in it to line his pockets and his friends pockets! Leave the provincial parks alone! Green space is what makes Canada great!
Leave our parks alone, once there gone, there gone forever. 😢
Provincial Parks and places of significant biodiversity must be protected.
Short term gain for long term pain if we loose parks etc for the sake of a few dollars.