Ontario Trails News - OTC Board meets to continue to press for accurate reporting on Bil 100 impacts

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

Photo from Tom Friesen
 

The Ontario Trails Council Board met 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

Please see the itinerary of our efforts below.Media on the Issue
Feb 5 2016 ‐ Local Landowners ‐ http://goo.gl/OLnlDX
Feb 6 2016 ‐ OLA http://goo.gl/b4uTGx ‐
Feb 8 2016 OTC Press Release ‐ http://goo.gl/f4PGmJ
Feb 9 2016 OTC sector talks ‐ various, HO, BT, OFATV, KATVA, OFSC, IMBA, CO, HBTC
Feb 10 ‐ Minister Coteau Statement ‐ http://goo.gl/Wqca46
Feb 15 OLA http://goo.gl/NIyAcK ‐
Feb 15 2016 OTC Covered in Better Farming ‐ http://goo.gl/ocYscb
Feb 15 2016 OLA refuted in Lanark Era ‐ https://goo.gl/m8By1N
Feb 18, 2016 OTC at Queen’s Park in support of Bill 100 ‐ https://goo.gl/8hzFu1
Feb 19 2016 OTC ADM Harlow Teleconference
Feb 19 2016 Ontario Federation of Agriculture Statement ‐ http://goo.gl/6LyFSC
Feb 22, 2016 OTC OLA Meeting ‐ teleconference 2 hours
Feb 22, 2016 OLA http://goo.gl/VlzBzK ‐
Feb 23, 2016 OTC Ministers Staff Teleconference
Feb 24, 2016 OTC Bruce Trails teleconference
Feb 24 2016 OLA Media ‐ http://goo.gl/y3NWuy
Feb 25, 2016 OTC MTCS Trails Act staffs Teleconference ‐ Bill 100 Legal
Feb 25, 2016 OTC Press Release ‐ http://goo.gl/L8iBif
Feb 26 2016 Hike Ontario points covered by Ontario Farmer ‐ link pending
Mar 1, 2016 OLA http://goo.gl/0XerlK ‐
Mar 1, 2016 OTC responds to OLA ‐ http://goo.gl/0XerlK ‐
Mar 3 2016 Board meeting

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

Press Release For immediate release: Feb 25, 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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