March 23, 2016
MPP
XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
RE: “The Supporting Ontario Trails Act” – Bill 100
Dear XXXXXXXX;
We are writing you to request you vote in favour of “The Supporting Ontario Trails Act – Bill 100” when it comes to a vote in the house.
Perhaps you or a family member has used one of Ontario’s beautiful trails? Enjoyed a paddle in a canoe, ridden a bike on a waterfront, seen the stars in a provincial park, or strolled a section of the Trans Canada Trail?
As the provincial trails organization, The Ontario Trails Council represents over 2600 trails, in 430 Ontario communities, supported by 240 trail management groups.
For 15 years the Ontario Trails Council and its members have worked with a variety of Provincial Governments, both Conservative and Liberal, and on the ground in northern communities supported by the NDP.
Over that time, all provincial politicalparties have been in support of trails, their preservation, development and use. Ontario Trails and our leaders have been on the community podium with you in support of your local groups, hikers, cyclists, snowmobilers, the disabled and more.
Ontario communities value trails.
Working with public support these groups have sought over 1000 trail grants, securing funds from The Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canadian Mental Health, Great Lakes Guardian Fund, FedNor, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, TD Friends of the Environment, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Infrastructure Canada and others.
Annually, by our estimate, over 100 trail projects equaling $21 million dollars a year are ready to be completed by Ontario Communities. We estimate the annual income from trails to be over $5 billion a year, and we support the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Sport when they quote over 100,000 jobs in tourism.
Trails contribute to a healthier environment by ensuring over 42,000 kilometers of greenways and waterways that help clean the air we breathe. We support tree planting and nature reclamation programs in towns, cities and rural environments.
Ontario Trails support the Healthy Hikes Program run by Conservation Ontario; the Spiritual Trails, such as the Great Spirit Circle Trail on Manitoulin Island; TOP Trails through Crown and private lands managed by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs; The Greenbelt Rides, Great Lakes Waterfront Trail Development and the Trans Canada Trail; and the Back-to-Nature Program of Royal Botanical Gardens – and 100’s more.
Importantly, all of these projects, and all of this development requires your support of the “Supporting Ontario Trails Act” because the SOTA reduces liability exposure for land managers, improves fines for trespass, keeps people on the trail, promotes trail classification and celebration. And more!
The public consultation leading to the Ontario Trails Strategy (2005) was thorough and exhaustive. The re-visit to revitalize the OTS was equally thorough and resulted in discussion over 2012-13 with 250 groups.
Currently there is some misinterpretation of the impacts of the Act, by some landowners, closing some trails.
We have met with these groups, the landowners and their leadership in order to try and dispel their concerns. We have also consulted with a variety of other trail stakeholders, as well as the Office of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General who assure us that these concerns about the Act are unfounded.
We say this because we believe you can support trails through your vote. We also encourage you to consider carrying the Act to Committee, so that any current encumbrances, if valid, could be considered for relief.
When the Act comes to a vote, please say yes in support of the 500,000 trail users, and the 5 million Ontarians who report to us they regularly take a trail trip at least once per month.
If you have any questions about the Ontario Trails Council, our work, or Ontario Trails please call us.
Sincerely,
Mr. Jack de Wit,
President
Ontario Trails Council
Ontario Trails Council PO Box 500 Deseronto, Ontario K0K 1X0
T: 613-396-3226 E:
Website: ontariotrails.on.ca