Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s plan to invest $38 million in Wasaga Beach tourism development is drawing sharp criticism from environmental groups over a proposal to transfer provincial park land to municipal control.
The Ford government announced the funding in May as part of “Destination Wasaga,” aimed at making the lakefront community a year-round tourist destination. Environmental groups raised formal objections in July, saying the plan would remove critical protected habitat.
The package includes $25 million for Nancy Island Historic Site upgrades, $11 million for road reconstruction, and $2 million for downtown redevelopment.
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But the plan also calls for transferring nearly 60 hectares of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park to the town, including four beach areas currently under provincial protection. Environmental Defence initially reported a larger figure but later clarified the transfer excludes adjacent lakebed areas.
Environmental groups say the transfer threatens habitat for the endangered piping plover and could establish a troubling precedent for dismantling park protections across Ontario.
“It is appalling that the current government is trying to give away big parts of our most popular park and make it easy to give more park land away in the future,” said Tim Gray, executive director of Environmental Defence, in a statement. “Provincial Parks belong to the people of Ontario and are meant to be protected forever.”
The proposed transfer would require amending the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, which currently mandates legislative approval for removing more than 1% of park land. Current law requires a study, report, and agreement by Ontario Legislature members before such dispositions can proceed.
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“This is just another example of the Ford government feeling like they can step over the people of Ontario and hand out public land to private developers,” said Jan Sumner of Wildlands League.
Environmental lawyer Laura Bowman questioned government assurances that this is a one-time change. “I don’t find it plausible, frankly, that this is a one-off thing,” she said.
Ministry of Environment spokesman Alexandru Cioban said the changes are specific to Wasaga Beach and will “preserve local heritage, create jobs, boost tourism, and drive long-term economic growth.”
Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith supports the plan, saying it will create “a sustainable, four-season waterfront destination focused on eco-tourism and public access.”
The affected areas include habitat for piping plovers, a federally and provincially protected species, plus sand dunes and wetlands that provide flood protection. Also at risk is “The Point” in Beach Area 1, designated as a provincially significant earth science area.
Public consultation on the proposal continues through August 11 via Ontario’s Environmental Registry. Environmental groups plan to file formal objections and alert federal officials about risks to protected species.
Wasaga Beach, which features the world’s longest freshwater beach, was Ontario’s most-visited provincial park in three of the past four years.
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