GORE BAY—All municipalities within the Manitoulin Planning Board (MPB) will be requested to indicate if they are in favour of adoption of a draft Natural Heritage System Strategy (NHSS), which includes amendments proposed by the province that will put the onus on property owners. At least one municipality has already voted down the idea.
“We voted this down and it sounds like others are going to do the same,” stated John Deforge, mayor of Tehkummah Township and MPB board member after an MPB meeting last week. “There are people in the township that own property that have wetlands and farms. These and other property owners will have to verify that there are species at risk on their property and have environmental impact studies undertaken during planning act applications. “We feel their rights would be taken away from them.”
Under the NHSS, “landowners will have to indicate, for example, if they have species at risk on their property and notify the province before applying to carry out work on the property,” said Mayor Deforge. “How are property owners supposed to know have if they have species at risk on their property? The proposed amendments gives the province too much control on what people can and can’t do on our own lands.”
The MPB held a special public meeting on January 28 to consider giving its approval to implement a NHSS with modifications proposed by MMAH. However, there was no one in attendance to speak, or with written comments, to the proposed adoption of the NHSS, said MPB secretary-treasurer Theresa Carlisle. “We held public meetings (in August 2019, November 2021 and November 2022),” she said. Due to COVID the project was delayed. The MMAH recommended amendments to the draft NHSS in November 2024.”
“If we accept the NHSS as a board will this still have to go to the municipalities for their approval?” asked MPB chair Lee Hayden.
Ms. Carlisle said this was the case and that if the majority of the municipalities vote in favour of the amended NHSS it would go to the ministry.
Board member Ken Noland pointed out, “At least one part of the NHSS amendment says it is the responsibility of landowners to indicate the presence of invasive species on their property. If all the municipalities say no to this, I just wonder if the ministry will go ahead with this anyway.”
It was pointed out these landowners would when making an application for development, be required to complete an environmental impact study if there is any doubt that the development would affect natural heritage features and areas.
The following natural heritage features and areas would make up the NHSS: provincially significant wetlands, coastal wetlands, including significant coastal wetlands, significant wildlife habitat, areas of natural and scientific interest, fish habitat, habitat of endangered and threatened species, alvars, linkages.
If the majority of the local municipalities do not give their approval for the adoption of an NHSS and say no, it will go to the ministry that the MPB is not in favour of the draft amendments (NHSS), said Ms. Carlisle, who told the board Tehkummah township council has passed a resolution that they are not in favour of this.
Under the draft amended NHSS, “For species at risk, landowners are required to identify if they have any species at risk on their property,” said Mr. Deforge. “How are they going to know this before they do anything on their land.”
“If someone wants to carry out any development on their land, there are already restrictions in place,” said Ms. Carlisle. She suggested that the draft NHSS be forwarded to all local municipalities for their input on whether they are in favour or against the amended NHSS.
Board member Dan Osborne said that if the municipalities are not in favour of the amended NHSS, they should also list their reasons why they are in opposition.
The MPB board decided to table the amended NHSS decision so that municipalities can consider it during their council meetings over the next two months with comments to be made by April.
“Council is here to provide the best for the taxpayers of Tehkummah, and we do not feel the amended wording in the NHSS is appropriate,” Mayor Deforge told The Expositor after the MPB meeting.