Special to Ontario Construction News
Billings township council has joined multiple other municipalities and Manitoulin Island First Nations in opposition to a proposal that would designate 48,000 square kilometres of Georgian Bay as a UNESCO geopark.
The proposal, called the Georgian Bay Aspiring Geopark, is a community-led effort to have the area recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage centre due to the region’s geologically significant landscape, including the Canadian Shield.
Proponents of the geopark, which would encompass an area that includes Manitoulin Island, say the plan is to develop “sustainable ecotourism creating economic opportunities for local communities while managing development pressure and preserving the environment.”
Municipalities and organizations, however, have cited a lack of consultation and the potential for unsustainable tourism and a diversion of public funds. Municipalities and communities on Manitoulin Island have passed resolutions to oppose inclusion in the geopark, saying local governance and stewardship plans are more appropriate for their areas. Environmental groups are also concerned about the lack of a comprehensive visitor management plan and its potential impact on the delicate ecosystem.
“We are all in agreement that we don’t support the geopark proposal,” Billings coun. Dave Hillyard said at a council meeting last week.
“It is interesting that (the Township of Archipelago) is coming forward with their opposition as they are so close to the proposed geopark area,” noting that opposition has been registered by the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI), Gore Bay and the United Chiefs and Councils of Mnidoo Mnising.
The Township of Archipelago in a letter to Billings council, Canadian Geoparks Network co/chair Frances Heydeman and Aspiring Georgian Bay Geopark executive director Tony Pigott, said: “… we write to express our formal opposition to the proposed Aspiring Georgian Bay Geopark. The Archipelago does not support its inclusion within the boundaries of the proposed Georgian Bay Geopark and request to be removed from all maps, plans, and promotional materials related to this initiative.
“As steward of approximately 26 per cent of the total shoreline of Georgian Bay, The Archipelago places the highest priority on conservation, planning and sustainable management,” the letter says. “The protection and preservation of the area’s natural heritage is central to our mandate and municipal operations.”
