Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (FWCA) and the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, hunting in a provincial park is prohibited unless a regulation is passed under the FWCA to specifically allow it. In all provincial parks where hunting is allowed the dates on which hunting is permitted are generally more restrictive than the open season dates for the adjacent Wildlife Management Unit(s); for example, whereas in adjacent areas hunting of some species may be allowed year round, in parks, hunting is generally not permitted during the summer months. Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park is entirely surrounded by Wildlife Management Unit 60 (WMU 60).

An amendment is being proposed to create a new provision under Part XIV (Hunting in Provincial Parks and on Designated Crown Land) of Ontario Regulation (O. Reg.) 665/98 (Hunting) to achieve the following changes in hunting opportunities for Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park:

• Describe the defined period when hunting would be permitted as the first day of the open season or September 1 in any year, whichever occurs later, to the last day of the open season or the Thursday immediately preceding the Victoria Day whichever occurs first, for the following wildlife: 

• Game mammals 
• Game birds 
• Migratory game birds
• Fur-bearing mammals, with the exception of wolves and coyotes 
• Game reptiles 
• Game amphibians 
• Non-scheduled wildlife

The following bullet points summarize the proposed changes to the hunting opportunity in comparison to the current regulation:

• the opportunity to hunt bear for an additional two weeks;
• the opportunity to hunt fur-bearing mammals, with the exception of wolves and coyotes, has been added;
• the opportunity to hunt wild turkey has been added;
• the opportunity to hunt snapping turtles has been added;
• the opportunity to hunt ‘non-scheduled’ wildlife (i.e., species that do not appear in the schedules attached to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act) has been added; and
• despite the listing of game amphibians in the proposal, bullfrogs may not be harvested in Peterborough County at this time.

Notwithstanding the proposed changes as described above, all other provisions of the FWCA continue to apply.

The purpose of this proposal is to provide the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes regarding hunting opportunities in Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park.

An alternative government contact is:

Gary Martin
Legislation Specialist
Fish and Wildlife Branch
Ministry of Natural Resources
300 Water Street
P.O. Box 7000
Peterborough, ON
K9J 8M5

The following web-links provide the supporting information about this notice:

• Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park page which contains a link to the Hunting Regulation Proposal Comparison Table http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/kawa.html
• Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park Management Planning page which contains the approved park management plan - http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/kawa_planning.html
• A link to the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park Act - http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_03k06_e.htm
• Hunting Regulations Summary - 2008-2009 http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/FW/Publication/MNR_E001275P.html
• A link to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 - O. Reg. 665/98 - http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_980665_e.htm

This proposal was posted for a 46 day public review and comment period starting October 23, 2008. Comments were to be received by December 08, 2008.

All comments received during the comment period are being considered as part of the decision-making process by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Please Note: All comments and submissions received have become part of the public record.

The anticipated environmental consequences of this proposal are neutral. Amending the current hunting regime within the park may have the potential to negatively impact park values as a result of associated ATV use on existing roads and trails. An ATV monitoring and permitting system will enable mitigation of any potential impacts.

The prohibition on hunting of wolves and coyotes will enable research to continue and a re-evaluation when additional data is available.

The anticipated social consequences of this proposal are neutral. There will be an increase in recreational hunting opportunities, however, hunting is prohibited during the peak cottage or recreational user season, therefore minimizing the conflicts and/or safety issues between hunters and other users.

The anticipated economic consequences of this proposal are neutral to positive. The change of the opportunity to hunt bear from September 15 to September 1 will provide Bear Management Area (BMA) operators an extra two weeks of business and will remove any competitive advantage that BMA operators outside of the park have had. Additional hunting opportunities will bring some indirect economic benefits related to hunters renting accommodation, buying meals and supplies, etc.

An amendment to the regulation is the only means to achieve the proposal’s purpose. Regulations provide more openness, consistency and certainty than other control mechanisms and provide the force of law. The use of a regulation, rather than legislation, will allow for efficient changes in the future, should adjustments be required to further meet the needs of resources, client groups and the park.

Barton Feilders
Manager
Ministry of Natural Resources
Natural Resource Management Division
Ontario Parks
Planning and Research Section
300 Water Street
Floor 6
Robinson Place
Peterborough Ontario
K9J 8M5
Phone: (705) 755-1730
Fax: (705) 755-1701