MPP Dowie’s Ontario Urban Parks Private Member’s Bill Passes Second Reading

WINDSOR, ON – Today, Member of Provincial Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh Andrew Dowie is pleased to share that the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Amendment Act, Bill 193, his first private member’s bill, was supported by all parties at Second Reading.  If passed, this bill will add an Urban Provincial Park classification in legislation that supports protecting provincially significant lands, in or near an urban footprint.

Bill 193 proposes that the Urban classification could be used to designate parks within 50km of communities over 200,000 people, to give citizens living in urban spaces the opportunity to enjoy nature-based recreation opportunities and the natural beauty close to home as part of an urban landscape. Such designated parks would strengthen public access to these lands and protect significant biodiversity from future development. 

“Protecting and managing the beauty of our naturalized spaces like Ojibway is something we can all get behind,” said MPP Dowie. “Provincially significant biodiversity can be found in urban areas across Ontario and these sites deserve a home in Ontario’s Provincial Parks system.” 

In 2023, the Ontario Government received 4200 submissions regarding its proposal for the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park and the concept of the urban provincial park.  Over three quarters of submissions were supportive of this direction.

Bill 193 will now move forward to the Standing Committee of the Interior and on consideration by the Committee would return to the Legislative Assembly for Third Reading.

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