Current Issues & Priorities
Deputations
Over the past year we have made deputations to government such as:
- briefing a standing committee of the Canadian Senate investigating aquaculture
- appearing before a committee of the Ontario Legislature in support of the Great Lakes Protection Act
- briefing Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner on aquaculture and endangered species.
- briefing local Municipalities on Phragmites
Submissions
We have also spoken out on a number of proposed pieces of legislation such as:
- Bill 100 which deals with public trail access over private lands
- Bill 118 which deals with public access to shorelines
- Bill 151 which will change how waste management and recycling is managed across the Province including cottage country
- the requirement of MNR&F for Land Use Permits for all docks and boathouses that have a footprint over 15 square meters.
- We have provided written submissions on Environmental Bill of Rights Registry postings by the Ministries of Environment and Climate Change, Natural Resources and Forestry, and Agriculture and Rural Affairs all to do with Cage Aquaculture in the Great Lakes.
- Public Lands Act – Proposed Occupancy Regulation and Proposed Amendment to Work Permit Regulation
Other Activities
- We have worked in conjunction with our Member Association, the Northern Georgian Bay Association, in dialoguing with the Ontario government and the Wiikwemkoong First Nation on the latter’s long standing land claim in northern Georgian Bay.
- We continued to facilitate ongoing meetings and discussion amongst the GB5 organizations.
- We chaired several meetings of the Community Leaders Group in the Township of Georgian Bay.
