Advocacy

The Ontario Ecotourism Sociey supports a variety of environmental and cultural advocacy concerns throughout the province of Ontario.  We feel strongly about keeping our members informed and involved in matters which threaten our natural and cultural tourism resources and affect the potential growth of responsible and sustainable tourism practices in Ontario.  Here you can read about our involvement in some core advocacy issues currently taking place and learn more about how you can become involved.

Navigable Waterways Protection Act Update

The Ontario Ecotourism Society has been following closely the issues surrounding the Navigable Waterways Protection Act.  Unfortunately, the public consultation as promised by the Senate National Finance Committee on the non-budget items in C-10, did not happen.  The budget implementation was passed in the Senate with all amendments intact. 

What does this mean?  A bill removing the public right of navigation in Canada has passed through Canadian parliament with zero consultation with the Canadian public and zero consultation with First Nations People. 
Please continue to check back and read I Speak for Canadian Rivers for further actions. 

Please review this issue and help any way you can:
1.  Distribute information about this matter through your networks.
2.  Encourage your contacts to visit the Canadian Rivers Network website, sign the petition posted there, and review the information available on this issue.
3.  Act and encourage others to act by initiating efforts to inform politicians at evey level that navigation rights and environmental laws in Canada should not be tinkered with under the guise of helping the economy. 

What is at Stake?  Background on NWPA

The Ontario Ecotourism Society has submitted a leter in response to the proposed amendments to the Navigable Waterways Protection Act.  This letter, submitted to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities, was to request public consultations and industry involvement prior to finalizing the proposed amendments. No response has been received to our request.  Currently, only two non-governmental groups have been invited to speak at the hearings.  Both of these groups (Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and Paddle Canada) were given only 48 hours notice by email to speak at the hearings.  Only one group was able to attend given such short notice. 

You can view our submitted letter here!  We also highly encourage you to read more about this issue and on behalf of ecotourism operators in Ontario, submit your own letter requesting to have public consultation on this matter.  To read more about the Navigable Waterways Protection Act and proposed changes please visit Standing Committee Background Information, Paddling Canada,  Green Part Sounds Alarm Bell on Plans to Gut Navigable Waters Protection Act, Sierra Club of Canada "Up a Creek Without a Paddle" and Lake Ontario Waterkeeper

 

Ontario Tourism Competitiveness Study

Update!  The Minister of Tourism has released a response to the recent provincial budget announcement and its connection to the Tourism Competitiveness Study.  In her response, Monique Smith recognizes the measures in the budget which will "assist both government and industry in their efforts to delivery on some of the recommendations from the recent report of the Tourism Competitiveness Study".  The budget proposed further investments over three years (totalling $41 million) that will help to enhance Ontario's tourism attractions.  The budget also includes measures such as tax relief for small businesses (integral to tourism in Ontario) and greater investment in infrastructure.  Get full details on the budget or read Monique Smith's Budget Response. 

The final report has just been released from the Ontario Tourism Competitiveness Study.  Discovering Ontario:  A Report On the Future of Tourism acknowledges the "rising environmental consciousness", but makes few recommendations to encourage and support the growth of sustainable tourism in Ontario.  As one of the fastest growing tourism markets around the world, it is shocking that so far very little support or acknowledgment of Ontario's potential as a prime 'green' tourism destination has come from government level initiatives.  We encourage you to read the report and submit your comments to tourism.competitiveness.study@ontario.ca

 

In September, tOES attended the Orillia session for the Ontario Ministry of Tourism Competitiveness Study and also sumitted a written submission in response to the questions posed by Mr. Sorbara.  These questions included:

  • The Market-What are our best prospects?
  • The Product-How Can we provide the experience tourists want?
  • The Story-How do we market Ontario?
  • The People-How can we ensure a well-trained workforce?
  • The Tools-What are the appropriate roles for governments?
  • The Industry-How can the industry work together to achieve success?

2009 Temagami Forest Management Plan

Update!

Sudbury Forest Management Planning (FMP) for the next 10 years is currently underway.  The Sudbury Forest Local Citizen's Committee invites you to attend an open house in July.  Forests are many things to many people, a place to work and a place to play.  The open houses show where logging is expected to occur between 2010 and 2020.  New roads are an important part of the FMP.  You can see where they are proposed.  Public comments are encouraged at this time.  Open house dates: 

  • Sudbury:  July 14, 3 pm to 8 pm and July 15, 9 am to 1 pm at the Howard Johnson Hotel 50 Brady St.
  • St. Charles:  July 16, 3 to 8 pm, St. Charles Community Centre

The approved 2009-2010 Forest Management Plan for the Temagami Forest has been released.  It is available for public inspection during normal office hours for 30 days from Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 to Thursday, April 2, 2009 at the MNR North Bay Office and MNR Regional Office in South Porcupine.  Arrangements can be made to view the FMP in Toronto by calling 800-667-1940.  The information and maps will also be available for public review on the MNR Public Website during this 30 day inspection period. 

 The Ontario Ecotourism Society submitted a letter of interest and comments in regards to the proposed 2009-2019 Forest Management Plan for Temagami. This plan lays out the potential long term management direction for the Temagami Forest. Our input was in regards to concern over the harvest allocation of Best-57 and the impact this harvesting would have on local ecotourism business operators and their recreational trail systems. Other areas of concern included protection of species at risk including tghe Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle and Wood Turtle. It was also recognized that consideration needed to be placed on protecting roadless, non-motorized access to provide for the needs of recreationists and tourism operators.

The Friends of Temagami also issued their comments during the 60-day public comment period (which ended in November 2008). They sought to have issues resolved around concerns over increased road density, lack of protection for species at risk, increased reliance on large clearcuts, logging near Spirit Rok and Obabika River Provincial Park, and decreases to buffers on canoe routes, viewpoints and heritage trails. In previous sessions with the Ministry of Natural Resources it appeared that their would be little willingness to compromise.

Recently the Friends of Temagami met with the MNR Northeast Region Director in North Bay, along with a number of other local and regional representatives. The MNR was quite receptive to the groups ideas around clarifying the management plan language around road density, road use strategy and canoe routes. In addition, two new viewpoints (Anima Nipissing Fire Tower and Eagle Lake Ridge) were added and protection for viewpoint access trails was included. Recognition has also been given to non-motorized AOC's as both recreational and heritage values. Several issues still remain unresolved, and the two groups have agreed to disagree on matters involving road density targets, clearcuts, certain viewpoint recognitions and reinstatement of cultural heritage trails.

Small concessions were made at the District Manager's Level including: recognition of three new viewpoints (Florence Lake Ridge, Dry Lake Ridge, Chee-Skon Ridge), permanent recognition for three viewpoints which previously had temporary recognition and an added commitment to continue discussions with the affect aboriginal communities to determine if additional protection is required. The Friends of Temagami have retained the option of requesting the Ministry of the Environment conduct an Individual Environmental Assessment on all five of their original issues if the MNR does not grand their latest requests.

To learn more about the discussions surrounding the Temagami Forest Management Plan, The Friends of Temagami or to view a copy of the Draft Forest Management Plan please visit Friends of Temagami

 E-Waste!  Recycling Your Electronics Responsibly

CBC's The National aired an interesting report which brought to the forefront the devastating underground electronics recycling industry and illegal activity happening right here in Canada.  The export of these raw materials to China is feeding both an environmental and social nightmare.  Recycling companies are taking clear advantage of cost savings by exporting off-shore and furthering the abuse of China's migrant workers.  You can find out more about this issue and how you can recycle your electronics responsibly by visiting  The Basal Action Network and Global Electric Processing  Responsible recycling options are available right here in Ontario!