Greenbelt Plan 2005-06: Enhancing Land Access and Conservation in Ontario

1. Land Access Issues

2. Hot Provincial Issues - Change in lead Ministry Trail development Land use/access/NIMBY Ontario Trail Strategy User etiquette Policy development – insurance and liability Volunteer issues Priorities

3. Wide Range of Land Problems Legal Issues - Liability Privacy – land use Crime, vandalism – land access Relations within motorized community fractured Need to find support for a consistent land management policy Crown Land versus private land distinctions North South Divide Urban Rural Divide Land Use Issues

4. Land Abuse

5. OFATV Etiquette OTC Trail Etiquette Off Road Vehicle Act ATVOntario Pass Management Authority Training for Use Risk Management OFATV Pass ON-Trail Pass/Permit Blue Trails Park/Conservation Authority Police Relations SAVE Team Enforcement? Land Use Policies and Security

6.  The greenbelt is 1.8 million acres of land stretching from the Niagara Peninsula in the southwest to Rice Lake in the east  The greenbelt includes the 800,000 acres of land protected by the Niagara Escarpment Plan and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. It also includes 1 million newly protected acres  The greenbelt is vital to maintaining quality of life for people living and working in the Golden Horseshoe, where the population is expected to increase by about 4 million, for a total population of about 11 million by 2031 Land Access - Greenbelt Plan 2005-06 Courtesy Ontario Parks Association

7. Land Access Remediation of lands towards greenways Controlled by Municipalities or Crown Land Agencies GTA Greenbelt Rail to Trail Conversion one method of utilizing brown zones, corridor lines Great grade, poor materials Hydro Corridors Ontario Hydro, Ontario Realty Corp. and Municipal Act Land Access - Corridor Lands

8. QUICK Facts Significant Corridor Transformation 22 major conversions in Ontario Over 600 km of trail Multi-use, multi-season Managed by municipal or community organizations In Conservation Areas and on Crown Lands Some are international in scope Many incorporate rural and urban landscapes Stopped by Line Fences Act Land Access - Rail Trails

9. Mission - work with communities to implement comprehensive trail management Get diverse trail managers together 1 year plan to consolidate RMC members Definition of regional areas Create a short list of regional trail problems Share solutions, new practices, funding, programs Sustain trails Create at least 5 RMC’s by year end Tie into Significant Government Funding – Infrastructure as per provincial budget Regional Management Council Development

10. Vital Role Standardization of model New elements Risk Management Events Liability Volunteer and Community Capacities Audit Function Municipal Planning

11. Niagara Region– involves municipal, Canada Parks, Conservation Area, Community and User groups – looking at ATVOntario model to reduce abuse Near North – Municipalities of Muskoka, Parry Sound, Gravenhurst, Haliburton; involves user groups, atv, snow clubs, FON, and Health Units, MNR Woodstock – Brantford – formed a working group, lobbying for funds from Cities in support of rail trail and TCT completion Chatham-Kent Essex/Lambton - meeting in February to complete link to TCT and in order to complete intra-county completion of trail systems. National Capital Region – posting joint TTN OBR signage Bruce Grey Region – wants to meet to discuss land access issues with ATV users to ensure municipal trail regulations are followed. Successes through RMC Process

12. Next Steps Questions? Recommendations - Conclusion