Proposal to create Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park
Learn about the creation of Ontario’s first urban provincial park in the Township of Uxbridge.
Overview
We are exploring a proposal to create a new provincial park in the Township of Uxbridge to:
- improve access to greenspaces
- provide Ontario families and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and the area’s natural beauty
- strengthen the long-term protection of biodiversity, important habitats and ecosystems in Southern Ontario’s greenspaces
- connect parcels of land to create a corridor of trails
- connect communities and greenspaces to other parks and trail networks
Provincial parks and conservation reserves are:
- areas that protect Ontario’s significant natural and cultural features
- important for outdoor recreation, scientific research, environmental monitoring and education
- regulated under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 (PPCRA) for permanent protection
To create a new provincial park, we need to complete 3 steps:
About the proposed Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park
The proposed park would be made up of individual parcels of lands within the Township of Uxbridge and surrounding communities. This is different from a typical provincial park, which is generally one connected land area.
The land is located 25 km east of Newmarket and 50 km northeast of Toronto.
At first, we are proposing to create the park using only provincially owned properties, with a current area of more than 530 hectares (over 1,300 acres).
We are also looking for opportunities to add publicly or privately owned lands to expand the park boundary in the future. These lands:
- may be located within a set area called a “study area”
- could be donated to, or purchased by, the province to expand the park
The study area map on this page shows:
- the location of provincially owned lands
- a general area where other publicly owned lands are being considered for possible inclusion
- a general area where privately owned lands could be considered, if the owner is interested in selling or donating their lands
Private landowners can submit a proposal to donate or sell your private property to the province by contacting planning.sez@ontario.ca.
Uxbridge study area
This map shows land 25 km east of Newmarket and 50 km northeast of Toronto, in the Township of Uxbridge.
The larger boundary on the map shaded with lines is the study area. This is where proposals for public or private lands could be considered as an addition to the park.
The provincially owned lands are also located within the study area. They are smaller, separated parcels of land in the centre of the map, shaded in dark grey.
Assessing lands for the proposed park
We conducted assessments and evaluations of the parcels of provincially owned lands to learn more about:
- ecological values and conditions
- significant features
- current uses
After these initial assessments, we found that the provincially owned parcels meet the necessary criteria for inclusion in Ontario’s protected areas system.
While some areas have a higher level of human caused disturbance, the sites:
- include several unique types of natural spaces that need protection
- contain important wetland areas and older-growth forest in good condition
- contribute to watershed protection and connectivity of the greater landscape
- contain significant features such as species at risk and a provincially significant Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI)
Partners
We are working with the following partners to identify the full recreational and protection potential of Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park:
- Township of Uxbridge
- Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
- Nature Conservancy of Canada
- Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
- The Schad Foundation
- The Regional Municipality of Durham
- Green Durham Association
Indigenous communities
We will continue to work closely with Indigenous communities throughout the stages of this proposal.
Survey: what we heard
Between June 19 and September 4, 2023, we conducted a survey asking you to tell us what you think about:
- urban provincial parks in general
- creating an urban provincial park in the Township of Uxbridge
We received more than 4,200 submissions.
Approximately 75% of the responses showed support for the creation of a provincial park in the Township of Uxbridge.
More information on what we heard from the survey will be coming soon.
Step 1: Consultation on the proposed regulatory amendment
The first step to create a new provincial park is to consult with the public and Indigenous communities on amending Ontario Regulation 316/07. This is the regulation, under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006, that describes all provincial parks in Ontario.
Between October 19 and December 3, 2023, we posted the proposed regulatory amendment on the Environmental Registry of Ontario for public and Indigenous communities feedback.
Over the coming months, we will be analyzing the comments we received during the comment period to help inform our decision to create the park under the PPCRA.
Step 2: Park management planning
If the park is regulated, work will begin on a park management plan which would provide direction to:
- protect nature and biodiversity
- guide land uses, and recreational opportunities (where appropriate)
There are a few stages during the park management planning process where we will provide an opportunity for the public, Indigenous communities and stakeholders to provide feedback before we release a final park management plan.
Any enhancements to current facilities or development of new facilities would take place once the park management plan is in place.
Step 3: Park operations
When the final park management plan is released, we will take a gradual and phased in approach to park operations and any new park development.
Contact
If you have any questions, are interested in learning more about the proposal or would like to be placed on the management planning mailing list, contact:
Kendra Couling
Park Planner, Southeast Zone
Ontario Parks
Email: planning.sez@ontario.ca