MINDEMOYA—The Manitoulin Municipal Association (MMA) has voiced its opposition to lands being added to protected areas in two areas in Burpee and Mills township. The proposed additions are made up largely of road and shoreline allowances.
“I would like to put forward a motion from the MMA stating that it does not agree with the road and shoreline allowances being added to protected areas being proposed by Ontario Parks/Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks,” said Ken Noland, reeve of the township of Burpee and Mills township at an MMA meeting held last week.
“These areas are under municipal control,” said Richard Stephens, mayor of the municipality of Central Manitoulin.
Ontario Parks/Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks, “is looking to add road and shoreline allowances for a Misery Bay Provincial Park addition protection and Mac’s Bay Conservation Reserve,” explained Mr. Noland. “They had contacted us two years ago on this and we said we were not interested.” He told the MMA he had contacted Patsy Corbiere, chair of the United Chiefs and Councils of Mnidoo Mnising and informed her that all of this proposal is part of the 1990 land claim that has not been settled.
UCCMM chair Corbiere had informed The Expositor, as reported in the November 12, 2025 edition that the UCCMM opposes the MECP proposal.
“Expanding protected areas in Ontario is an initiative with funding from the federal government to accelerate the expansion of Ontario’s protected areas system by proposing to regulate new areas under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA),” Will Kershaw, senior protected areas planner, expanding protected areas project, Ontario Parks Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks told The Expositor in an email November 12.
Mr. Kershaw noted, “three areas are proposed in the Manitoulin region that Ontario previously acquired from third-parties or identified to enhance conservation in existing protected areas. These areas include: adding 55 ha (132 acres) to Misery Bay Provincial Park, adding 101 ha (250 acres) to Mac’s Bay Conservation Reserve, both on the south shore of Manitoulin Island and the new Cockburn Island Addition Provincial Park that includes 193 ha (477 acres) on Cockburn Island’s south shore.”
“Ontario’s objective under this initiative is to provide more local recreation opportunities, support tourism and economic development and biodiversity conservation without posing substantive impacts to commercial and industrial entities,” explained Mr. Kershaw.
Mr. Kershaw had explained in part in a letter to Burpee and Mills Reeve Noland dated October 20, “I’m following up on some discussions you and I had a few years ago that has been officially announced as a new regulation proposal notice to the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) on October 10, 2025. Two sites proposed in the ERO are additions to existing protected areas on Manitoulin Island in Burpee and Mills township. These proposed additions are made up largely of road and shoreline allowances. For site 7: Misery Bay Provincial Park, 55-hectare addition; and site 13: Mac’s Bay Conservation Reserve, 101-hectare addition.”
“MECP assessed these sites for potential impacts, including through inter-ministry reviews with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Energy and Mines. The results of these assessment concluded that there are no anticipated negative impacts on commercial or industrial activities for these proposed sites.”
Mr. Noland pointed out the UCCMM has indicated it is opposing the addition of the lands as protected areas.
The comment period deadline on the proposal was November 24, said Richard Stephens, Mayor of the municipality of Central Manitoulin at the MMA meeting November 26.
Anyone (municipalities) with lakefront or road allowance would be affected by this type of proposal, said Lee Hayden, reeve of Gordon/Barrie Island.
The MMA passed a motion opposing the MECP proposal adding shoreline and road allowances being added to the protective area for Misery Bay and Mac’s Bay.