Protect the Nottawasaga River
Include the Nottawasaga River in the
Navigation Protection Act
Navigable Waters Protection Act 1883
Navigation Protection Act 2014
• From Transport Canada’s FAQs
• 7. Why is the Government of Canada shifting the
responsibility of policing navigation in non-scheduled
waterways to the public users (e.g. boaters)?
• For centuries boaters and builders have gotten along in shared
waterways, generally respectful of each other. In fact, the vast
majority of Transport Canada’s Approvals are issued for works
that do not substantially interfere with navigation. As such, the
Government of Canada has made the decision to focus the
department’s resources on the busiest waterways in the
country, and allow the common law to be the basis for
protecting the public right of navigation.
First Nations
Huron-Ouendat Nation
The more I study the birchbark canoe and what it can do, the greater is my
admiration of these people who were here long before we arrived.
--Bill Mason
Path of the Paddle
Champlain’s dream of trade among equal nations
The Nottawasaga River is a neglected piece of Canadian history that was a
major trading route in long ago days. It is home of many rare species great and
small. It should be on the protected list!
-James Wiederer, Baxter, Ontario
Nottawasaga Route
Yonge Street: Streamlining the Nottawasaga Route
Lieutenant Governor of
Upper Canada
Sir John Graves Simcoe
War of 1812:Glengarry Landing
National Historic Site of Canada
The Forks of Marl Creek and the
Nottawasaga River
February 1814
Glengarry Light
Infantry Fencibles
The Bateau
The Schooner Nancy
Nancy Island
Historic Site
August 1814
Lieutenant Miller Worsley blew up
his ship rather than have her fall into
the hands of the Americans.
Tourism and Recreation
The View from a Canoe...
A major waterway in southern
ON, the focus of a watershed.
-Colleen Healey, Baxter, Ontario
Want to be able to paddle it as it
is now!
-Ann Budge, Coldwater, (Sugarbush) ON
Sign AWARE Simcoe’s petition
Not to include The
Nottawasaga River, and scores
of other rivers like it, in the
Navigation Protection Act is
potentially highly damaging,
and therefore perverse.
-Graeme Gibson, Toronto, Ontario
I love the Nottawasaga!
Very pristine river with a
good healthy fish
population. Without
Navigation Protection Act,
its resources cannot be used
efficiently.
--Quinn O’Brien, Aylmer, Canada
Minesing Wetlands
From the beginning this long River, which passes through the
Minesing Swamp (a World Biosphere Location), has regulated
the water levels for the farms and countryside in a wide area.
-Edna Caldwell, Shanty Bay, Ontario
Endangered Species
Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly
Spotted Turtle
Fishing
The Nottawasaga
River is one of a few
significant habitats in
the Lake Huron basin
for the legendary
Lake Sturgeon.
I learned to fish on the Nottawasaga, some 60
years ago, and I learned then to catch and
release... We cannot afford to lose these waters
and this habitat; they cannot be left to chance.
-Barbara Lowery, London, Ontario
Who lives in the river?
Rainbow Trout
The largest identified rainbow trout
genetic diversity of any Ontario river
system.
Steelhead
One of the largest runs of wild
steelhead in Ontario.
Chinook Salmon
The Nottawasaga provides spawning
habitat for the largest run of Chinook
salmon in the Lake Huron ecosystem.
Essa Salmon Festival & Riverbank Derby
September 2013,
11th Anniversary of
the Festival
The Notty is a major influence... Its
temperature and spawning grounds
serve fish all the way to Lake
Michigan. Let’s be super careful with
our water.
-Carl Cosack, Shelburne, Ontario
From Nicolston Dam... to Wasaga Beach
The Nottawasaga River is
where our cottage is. We go
boating up and down that
river. It is key to the tourism
of Wasaga Beach.
-Donna Deneault, Toronto, Ontario
Healthy rivers lead to a healthy
economy.
-Robert Olajos, North Bay, Ontario
River Restoration
Black Ash
Creek
The Nottawasaga watershed is the foundation of all who share it,
including all species - human or not. The ground, the water and the air
are all interconnected and must be respected, now and for all time.
-Keith White, Angus, Ontario
Rivers in the Navigation Protection Act
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Yukon River
Mackenzie River
Skeena River
Fraser River
Pitt River
Harrison River
Thompson River
South Thompson River
Kootenay River
Columbia River
•Bow River
•Peace River
•Athabaska
•Assiniboine
•North Saskatchewan River
•South Saskatchewan River
•Red River
•Winnipeg River
•Rainy River
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Trent Canal
Rosedale River
Scugog River
Trent Canal
Fenelon River
Otonabee River
Murray Canal
Trent River/Canal
Petawawa River
Cataraqui River
River Styx
Stevens Creek
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tay River/Canal
Rideau River
Kemptville Creek
Ottawa River
Canal de Beauharnois
Lachine Canal
Rivieres des Milles Iles
Riviere des Prairies
Richelieu River
Riviere Saint Maurice
Saguenay River
Saint John River
Saint Lawrence River
LeHavre River
•
•
•
•
•
•
St. Marys River
Detroit River
St. Clair River
French River
Moose River
Severn River
Nottawasaga River
• Grand River
• Humber River
• Welland Canal
• North Branch of
Muskoka River
• Talbot River / Trent
Canal
• The Canal
• Niagara River
Navigation Protection Act
• From Transport Canada’s FAQs
• 7. Why is the Government of Canada shifting the
responsibility of policing navigation in non-scheduled
waterways to the public users (e.g. boaters)?
• For centuries boaters and builders have gotten along in
shared waterways, generally respectful of each other. In fact,
the vast majority of Transport Canada’s Approvals are issued
for works that do not substantially interfere with navigation.
As such, the Government of Canada has made the decision to
focus the department’s resources on the busiest waterways in
the country, and allow the common law to be the basis for
protecting the public right of navigation.
Our Nottawasaga River watershed is being placed in a category
which will allow it to go unprotected in the face of rapid growth
and development.
--Gary Christie, Richmond Hill, Canada
Please be advised that at its meeting of December 4, 2013, Essa Council passed the
following:
Request for Addition of Nottawasaga River to the Navigation
Protection Act
WHEREAS the Federal Government is replacing the Navigable Waters Protection
Act with the Navigation Protection Act which applies only to the 100 lakes and 61
rivers listed under the legislation; and
WHEREAS the Nottawasaga River, a key Southern Ontario waterway running
through Dufferin, Grey and Simcoe Counties into Georgian Bay is not on that list;
and
WHEREAS the Nottawasaga River is an important destination for anglers, outdoor
adventure tours and the hospitality industry who all depend on the navigability of
this river and the health of the fishery;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Township of Essa requests that the
Federal Government list the Nottawasaga River as a navigable river and that it be
protected under the Navigation Protection Act and further, that a copy of this
Resolution be forwarded to Honourable Kelly Leitch, M.P., Jim Wilson, M.P.P., the
County of Simcoe and the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority requesting
their support in this matter.
----Carried----
Thank you!
From AWARE Simcoe
Questions?