TORONTO — Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski expressed his frustration with the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario’s report stating that harvesting of timber in Algonquin Provincial Park should no longer be allowed.
“I am extremely disappointed that Commissioner Miller would put forward this recommendation without proper consultation with the forestry industry and local residents” MPP Yakabuski said. “The banning of responsible timber harvesting in Algonquin Park would have a devastating impact to the economy of Eastern Ontario and would mean thousands of residents in my riding would lose their jobs.”
MPP Yakabuski pointed out that systematic harvesting of timber in Algonquin Park has conclusively proven to reduce the frequency of forest fires. Furthermore, the logging roads that the forest industry maintains are the same ones the Ministry of Natural Resources uses to fight fires when they do occur. The forest industry works with the Ministry to ensure that sensitive areas of the park are not negatively affected by the harvest. The responsible development of this renewable resource has gone on in Algonquin Park for 120 years.
In the report Mr. Miller states that there are sufficient forests outside of Algonquin to meet industry needs. However, he failed to consider the fact that under the agreement-in-principle negotiated with the Algonquins of Ontario the largest tracks that are currently Crown land will become Algonquin land. For Mr. Miller to act under the basis that it would be business as usual would be more than presumptuous. In fact, this uncertainly will kill the forest industry in that part of the province.
“In his remarks, the Environment Commissioner stated that this process should occur in a logical and non-economically damaging way,” MPP Yakabuski said. “It is clear that he has underestimated the impact this will have for the people living around Algonquin Park. If this is his precondition for going forward he will be unable to support this plan.”
