ONTARIO PROVINCIAL TRAILS STRATEGY

GOAL:

Creation of a Provincial Trails Strategy that Increases Opportunities for All Trail Users and Promotes Ontario as a World-class Trail Destination.

oBJECTIVES:

● To create and enhance a network of multi-use and specialized trails across the province and promote their uses.

● To enable more people to access more of Ontario’s natural resources while balancing the need for conservation with people’s chosen form of enjoying the outdoors.

Five Pillars of an Ontario Provincial Trails Strategy

  • Economic Development

    ∙Research - Economic impact, best practices, trail usage patterns

    ∙Domestic/international marketing and promotion

    ∙Creation of tourism packages and events

    ∙Consider connectivity of the trail systems and overland routes to facilitate access to local tourism businesses

    ∙Encouraging manufacturing, service providers, trade opportunities, trade shows,etc

    ∙Mapping, signage

    ∙Website, social media

  • Protection and Enhancement of Current Assets

    ∙Stop the loss of trails (amend legislation and regulations)

    ∙Reopen closed trails where viable (review areas of lost trails, in particular in non-operating natural environment parks and Conservation Areas)

    ∙Protect usage on existing crown land trails.

  • Trail Expansion

    ∙Expand the trails system for all users

    ∙Facilitate the development of contiguous road and trail connections to create local trail loops, longer distance overland and trail tour routes.

    ∙Creation of staging areas and parking

    ∙Greater consideration for motorised and other recreational uses in the MECP parks and conservation planning process.

    ∙Repurpose existing resources like logging roads to minimize environmental impact.

    ∙Identify areas with diverse and marketable features to accelerate trail development

  • Partnerships

    ∙Work with all trail users and crown land recreational user groups

    ∙Work with municipalities

    ∙Work with conservation organizations

    ∙Work with private landowners and land trusts

    ∙Sharing/support strategies

    ∙Winter to Warm weather transition, maintenance, safety initiatives

  • Funding

    ∙Funding for trail expansion and maintenance

    ∙Funding for tourism and promotion of local business

    ∙Private and public funding models.