GBA Update - Summer 2020

15 ≥ www.georgianbay.ca GBA UPDATE Summer 2020 We are happy to report good progress with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). These three ministries took the time to hold two intensive three-hour meetings with the GBA aquaculture committee, resulting in significant progress on many issues. We are most grateful for their constructive approach, the time they took to respond to our team, and their commitment to work with us going forward. At the second session, 20 government representatives participated. The primary GBA objective was to discuss the many potential environmental impacts from these operations, and ask that a planned 20-year licence renewal for five aquaculture operations be subjected to a more robust environmental assessment. Between the February and early April meetings, MNRF decided to grant a temporary two-year licence extension for the five operations, in order to allow more time for robust environmental assessments and completion of all the regulatory requirements. We welcome this decision, as it will provide some time for many of GBA’s concerns to be resolved and/or reasonable compromises reached. Additionally, we will continue to ensure that we are involved in the consultation process for the new federal Aquaculture Act over the next two to three years and that our numerous requests filed with the federal government last year are properly addressed. In this context we will continue to press all regulatory bodies to ensure that all fish farms on the Bay comply with both international industry guidelines and agreements, and the Canadian Fisheries Act. (see: https://georgianbay.ca/fisheries/ cage-aquaculture-issue/cage-aquaculture-submissions/ for full details on all recent GBA submissions) For all of this we will need more bench strength on our Aquaculture Committee and are currently looking for additional volunteers. Please see: https://georgianbay.ca/ fisheries/cage-aquaculture-issue/ Due to increasing development pressures over the last few years, GBA has been working more closely with the municipalities on various planning issues, in particular the Township of Georgian Bay (TGB), which is closest to the rapidly expanding Greater Toronto Area (GTA). While the pressure to relax planning regulations exists along the Bay, TGB’s proximity to the GTA makes that pressure particularly intense. Balancing the need to protect the environment with the rights of property owners is an ongoing issue that requires careful thought, high- quality advice for municipalities, and well-qualified, unbiased consultancy services. Reasonable requests for expansions, variances and development should always be considered, but requests that compromise planning regulations, or unnecessarily impact the environment, should be rejected. Having strong planning regulations and high-quality management and oversight is the most important service we all receive. For this reason, it is distressing to see instances where the balance might shift in favour of development when it should not. Recent examples of development creep include: ≥ Applications to develop or expand beyond allowable coverage on undersized islands. On this matter, GBA and other parties asked TGB in February to provide more time and a proper process before considering a proposal that would rush through amendments and weaken applicable zoning bylaws. Council agreed. ≥ Docks over sensitive aquatic habitat. A specific application in TGB has led to GBA asking the MNRF to provide greater clarity and improved guidelines to municipalities on their responsibilities for managing and processing floating dock applications in sensitive aquatic habitat areas. ≥ Mooring buoys and related issues. GBA was asked to review a TGB application for a new private mooring buoy. In the process of investigating this matter, it became apparent that the notification and consultation process followed by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MOT) was poorly executed, so GBA wrote to the MOT requesting a number of improvements, including ensuring that the local municipality be directly informed of any application, which is currently not the case. Development creep will continue to grow as the GTA and the Ontario population expands. GBA will be vigilant and work with municipalities and others to help find the right balance that protects both the environment and property rights. Aquaculture Development Creep Continues on page 16