by: Reno Pressacco
October 16, 2000
Thought that the Lands for Life land use planning process was behind us? Thought that the Consolidated Recommendations from the three Round Tables would actually be implemented? Thought that your claims haven’t been parked?
Think again.
The latest incarnation of the land use planning process has been rolled out under a new name: Ontario’s Living Legacy. Along with the new name, the MNR is claiming that:
Ontario’s Living Legacy results from an unprecedented consultation process. Three citizen Round Tables did an outstanding job of stimulating public discussion about the best use and protection for our natural resources. Thousands of Ontarians provided valuable input. That input and the recommendations of the Round Tables provided the foundation for Ontario’s Living Legacy.
This is indeed true. The input from the Round Table public consultation did indeed provide the basis for the Ontario’s Living Legacy proposed candidate sites. What the MNR doesn’t tell you is that the proposed sites under Living Legacy do not bear much resemblance to those put forward in the Consolidated Recommendations of the Round Tables. For those of you have been following this process over the past two years, you will recognize that most of the sites proposed under the Approved Land Use Strategy came from Option E of Lands for Life. Indeed a quick comparison between the two maps over roughly a 15 minute period revealed that at least 27 new sites had appeared on the Living Legacy map, and at least 34 sites have been upgraded from Enhanced Management Areas and Stewardship Reserves to Conservation Reserves (essentially parks, but formed and administered under the Public Lands Act). And this was after only a 15 minute review of part of the Boreal East Planning Area.
Claim holders are encouraged to examine the Ontario’s Living Legacy Land Use Strategy map (Map No. OLL0699) to see if you’ve been “parked”. Copies of the Land Use Strategy reports (it’s a green book, dated July 1999) can be obtained from your local MNR office. If you have been so unfortunate to hold claims in areas that have significant natural values which require protection, we encourage you to notify your local association.