Bruce Peninsula National Park has purchased four properties along the Georgian Bay Shoreline.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, , announced the purchase of 28 acres of property located along the Georgian Bay shoreline north of Cabot Head Provincial Park.
Jonathan Wilkinson says since the park was established in 1987, Parks Canada has acquired over 150 parcels of land and now administers 91% of lands within the planned 156 square kilometre area for the park.
The properties are located within the traditional territory of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation and are part of an undeveloped ancient cliff-edge forest.
The forest provides specialized habitat for rare flora and fauna. It also forms part of a unique ecosystem that supports the oldest known Eastern White Cedars in eastern North America, the American Black Bear and other species at risk.
In addition, the area also supports significant concentrations of both land and water birds.
A media release said National parks in Canada are part of a nature-based solution to climate change, as healthy ecosystems help nature and people adapt to climate change. It also said that Parks Canada administered places are gateways to discovering nature so the expansion of the park is helping ensure that future generations of Canadians will be able to continue to discover and explore the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline in southern Ontario.
The released added that in collaboration with Indigenous partners, stakeholders, and other levels of government, Canada is committed to protecting biodiversity and conserving 25 percent of land and inland waters and 25 percent of marine and coastal areas by 2025, working toward 30 percent by 2030.
"Bruce Peninsula National Park is one of the largest protected areas in Southern Ontario, is home to many species at risk, and is naturally and culturally significant for the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. By continuing to expand the areas protected by this national park, we are creating a legacy for our children and grandchildren. The park conserves biodiversity, protects ecosystems, connects landscapes, and inspires people to form connections with the immense richness of nature," said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada
The four individual properties have no built infrastructure, are fully forested, and have shoreline abutting Georgian Bay.
Future plans for the properties will be guided by Bruce Peninsula National Park's Management Plan. Parks Canada is currently undertaking a process with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation to renew the park's management plan, and public consultations will be an important part of this process that will help shape the future of the park.
Bruce Peninsula National Park is very busy seven days a week from mid-June to mid-September and on weekends from May through October. Visitors arriving without a confirmed booking for the Grotto or Halfway Log Dump will not be able to gain access to those areas.