Friday, March 11, 2016

Ontario Trails Council - Trailwise, OTC Board meet to discuss Bill 100 and clarifies the Act and its impacts

Ontario Trails Council Board meets again to discuss next steps for trails and Bill 100

The Ontario Trails Council Board met March 9, 2016 to discuss Bill 100, damaging media opinion pieces and our next steps.

The OTC remains committed to the passing of Bill 100
Our members are going to engage their members to work with landowners locally to correct the anxiety caused by misreporting of impacts
We gained greater insight into the working relationships some media have with the advocates against Bill 100
A Public Bill 100 education plan is being developed.
We have invited the Ontario Landowners Association and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture to speak at Trailhead Ontario in Calibogie June 19-21, 2016
the Ontario Federation of Agriculture has agreed to present at Trailhead Ontario in Calibogie June 19-21, 2016
The OTC Board passed a motion in support of trails safety, trespass deterrence, and in support of OFA. "The OTC supports the increase in trespass fines to a minimum penalty of 250.00." March 9, 2016.

Please see the itinerary of our efforts below.Media on the Issue this week
March 9^th Board Meeting
Mar 2 – Brantford Expositor - http://goo.gl/yYOp62
Mar 4^th – North Bay Nugget – Jim Merriam article
Mar 4^th – Cochrane MPP speaks to Bill “was not bad, just wants to make sure people understand the Bill – Troy Storms NBCA
Mar4^th – Telephone call with OFA – Peter Jeffery – sorted out positions – OFA speaking at Trailhead Ontario as a result.
Mar 4^th – Interview with Owen Sound News – no coverage
Mar 5^th – interview with London Free Press - http://goo.gl/EsQKxz
Mar 5^th – interview with Arthur Neitzel Eganville Sno-Drifters – letters will be forwarded to the Eganville Leader News
Mar 7^th – Grey Bruce News – from John Howard
Mar 9^th – Manitoulin Expositor – Elizabeth Marshall – opinionhttp://www.manitoulin.ca/2016/03/09/ontario-landowners-stick-guns-interpretation-bill-100/

Public meetings OTC encourages you to attend - the only way we can get the media to focus on the positive impacts of Bill 100 reduce the negative press is if we attend these meetings and express the benefits of the Act.

Mar 12 – OLA Community Meeting Almonte http://goo.gl/jykJbm
Apr 9^th Simcoe County Meeting - http://goo.gl/Mgprkb

Please use our handouts and press releases to enable your information kit.

Ontario Trails Council continues to track erroneous landowner reporting on Bill 100

Press Release For immediate release: March 4, 2016
Contact: Patrick Connor, Executive Director Ontario Trails Council 1-613-396-3226 execdir@ontariotrails.ca

Ontario Trails Council Continues to Correct Misinformation about Bill 100

The Ontario Trails Council has asked the Ontario Landowners Association to cease or retract misinformation regarding Bill 100, that they continue to circulate through public meeting and the media. We also would ask the media to cease and desist as the information they are provided is being misunderstood.

Several respected groups, the Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport, community organizations involving farmers to hikers, and even MPP Randy Hillier (founder of the Ontario Landowners Association) and our organization, wants the closure of trails to stop. We respect landowners and we want to preserve 50 years of friendly relations amongst us.

Bill 100 only needs some tweaks and clarifications and this can be done by the OLA, and other groups, working through the OTC.

Reports from “The Lanark Era,” have “Randy Hillier Member for Lennox-Addington-Frontenac in Provincial Parliament saying the landowners’ group has misled the public on the benefits and drawbacks of Bill 100, which, in part, would regulate easements on private property.”

The OTC is looking to get additional support for other landowner agreements, recognized in the Bill.

Further MPP Hillier, “stressed that Bill 100, which has made it through first reading and has yet to be debated, is a positive bill for property owners and land users…” “It creates a new legal mechanism that provides greater certainty to trail associations and to private landowners over the use of land,” Hillier explained.

At Ontario Trails Council we are working with Ministry Staff, and through committee, to bring to the Bill changes that will work for trails and landowners. At OTC we are moving forward through communication with the government to secure a positive outcome for all.

Despite published clarifications on the part of the Ontario Trails Council and the government, some people and their media partners continue to do damage to trails. Please review our input and work with us to change the Act for the better.

OTC Press Release

https://www.scribd.com/doc/299473575/Hillier-pans-landowner-views-on-provincial-trails-bill#download

If you have any questions about Bill 100 please contact the Ontario Trails Council, 613-396-3226 or email us at: execdir@ontariotrails.ca

We are here to help everybody have a better understanding of trails, trail use and management practice.

Please read our paper on Bill 100 – it's available here -http://goo.gl/yzlO0X

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