Amendment to Ontario Regulation 315/07 under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 to create a conservation reserve along the south shore of Prince Edward County

Ontario remains committed to providing families with more opportunities to get outside and enjoy more time in nature, including exploring opportunities to improve access to greenspaces throughout the province.

To support this commitment, we are proposing to create a conservation reserve along the south shore of Prince Edward County, at Point Petre Provincial Wildlife Area and Ostrander Point Crown Land Block. The area is 15 km south of Picton and 65 km southwest of Kington (see map in the Supporting materials section).

If designated a conservation reserve, the land would provide opportunities for the community to enjoy the area’s natural beauty, including hiking, hunting and birdwatching, while strengthening the long-term protection of biodiversity.

Ontario’s conservation reserves are established and regulated under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA). These spaces:

• protect sensitive and important places
• allow visitors to participate in environmentally responsible activities
• allow for research to take place

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is proposing to change a regulation under the PPCRA to create the new conservation reserve.

We are seeking feedback on the creation of this new conservation reserve along the southern shore of Prince Edward County.

Proposed regulation change to protect Point Petre and Ostrander Point

In order to create this conservation reserve, we are proposing to amend Ontario Regulation 315/07: Designation of Conservation Reserves under the PPCRA. The amendment will add a new schedule that will:

• list the conservation reserve’s name and size
• describe where it is found

The area meets the requirements to be considered for addition to Ontario’s protected area system and we want to regulate the 1620 hectares as conservation reserve. The areas to be regulated are:

• the current Point Petre Provincial Wildlife Area, including Charwell Point
• Ostrander Point Crown Land Block
• the adjacent bed of Lake Ontario, generally to a distance of 30 m from the shoreline, except at Charwell Point where the distance is extended to 200 m

Although most current permitted recreational uses would be able to continue, changes could be made in the future if uses threaten the values of the conservation reserve. These changes would be considered through a management planning process which would include public consultation, following regulation. Industrial and some commercial uses would be restricted in these areas.

We are proposing the following options for the conservation reserve name:

• South Shore Limestone Plains Conservation Reserve
• Lakeshore Alvar Conservation Reserve
• South Shore Alvar Conservation Reserve
• Point Petre and Ostrander Point Conservation Reserve

Regulatory Impact Analysis

There are no costs to regulated stakeholders. Benefits are significant, including permanent protection of sensitive habitat and the enabling of environmentally sustainable land uses to continue.

Given that there are no other ways to establish a new conservation reserve boundary, amending O. Reg. 315/07 is the only option.

Required changes to the land use policy under the Public Lands Act

As a part of this project, changes to the land use policy under the Public Lands Act are needed before a regulation is made under the PPCRA:

• the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (NDMNRF) is responsible for a decision on the land use amendment
• the proposed land use amendment, including a map and policy report, can be viewed on NDMNRF’s Crown Land Use Policy Atlas under Amendment #2021-001.

Other opportunities for public consultation

We have also created a survey to get your answers to specific questions about the project, including what to name the conservation reserve.

Direct notification of the project has been sent to provincial, regional and local stakeholders.