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Page 2, Tuesday, September 22, 1992 Changes to Trees Act proposed by Cindy Laundry Staff The Ministry of Natural Resources is considering updat- ing the current Trees Act and private landowners are con- cerned with government inter- ference on their property. "This is not a new act being proposed," said Quentin Day, area supervisor of Nipigon West with the Ministry of Natural Resources speaking to members of the Thunder Bay Municipal League, last Saturday. The first Trees Act was passed in 1946, said Day. Described as "enabling legisla- tion" the Trees Act allows local governments to pass by-laws concerning private forest lands. The first municipal by-law. was passed in 1947, and 22 communities have since passed by-laws under the Trees Act Day said. : The enabling legislation will give people a "stronger say" in the healthy management of the forest ecosystems Day said. In making the amendments to the Trees Act, he added that the provincial government has heard public input into the mat- ter. "The consultation period was to end in June but it has been extended to Sept. 30." Municipal Affairs Minister David Cooke has released a document entitled Provincial Growth and Settlement Poli- cies Guidelines as part of the Ontario government's attempts at economic renewal. Province releases land use guidelines and existing practices on land use planning. "For the first time, policies and objectives have been brought together in one docu- ment so that municipalities seeking provincial land-use quoted as saying. He also said that until know, the Ministry has relied on unwritten rules and inter- nal documents when review- ing or approving land use plans. Day added that the major concern people have is their private property rights. "The forests are important to every- one." The forestry industry gener- ates $600 million to the econo- my and provides employment to 23,000 people he said. "They also contribute to healthy soil, water and air," said Day. The Trees By-law commit- tee has identified problems with the current act. "They identify too many exceptions or loopholes," he said. "They (the by-laws) weren't very effective." Day added the committee is looking at a stronger fine. "The current fine of $5,000 is just not a deterrent." "This is an enabling legisla- ze RSE, SPCR TEEN eet SP EON Sara rs) Se a Boa Asa ues = In releasing the guidelines, planning approval will know "These guidelines will lead : noush "TRey tae | Cooke said they were the what the requirements are toa quicker, more consistent Hon though. 535 Cyst = ' ee Bc as ; passed only if the municipality govemment's current thinking before applying," Cooke is continued on page 7 decides it is necessary." 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When you telephone one ouf our offices a TransCanada representative will provide the information and help you need to carry out your work safely. For example, if you wish to cross our right-of-way with your construction equipment we'll tell you whether you need to take special precautions. Depending on the size of your equipment and the local ground conditions, a ramp may be necessary for a safe crossing. If you plan to excavate near our pipelines, an inspector will come to the site. The inspector will locate the exact position of our pipelines, mark their location with specially coloured stakes and supervise your work until it is safely completed. TransCanada provides these services free. WHO SHOULD YOU CALL? Every TransCanada PipeLines marker bears the telephone number for our nearest district office. The district offices and telephone numbers for your area are shown at left. You'll also find our numbers in tele- phone directories of the communities near our pipeline. Keep this advertisement in your office, car or truck and refer to it whenever you're planning to work near our pipeline right-of-way. For everyone's safety... call us first. Snowmobile Trail funded $14--million The dream of a trans- Ontario snowmobile trail net- work will become reality with a jobsOntarioCapital invest- ment of $14-million towards a Snowmobile Trail Rehabilita- tion and Construction (SNO- TRAC). Northern Development and Mines Minister Shelley Martel and Tourism and Recreation Minister Peter North made the announcement Saturday, Sept. 12, at the annual convention of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) in Kitchener. "Today is the dawn of a great, new era for the sport of snowmobiling in Ontario," Martel said. "SNO-TRAC will provide a safe, controlled envi- ronment for riders. Trail devel- opment will create more than 1,000 jobs." Working with Ontario's snowmobile clubs and the Ministries of Northern Development and Mines, Tourism and Recreation, Natural Resources, and Environment, SNO-TRAC will develop 3,700 kilometres of new trails and upgrade more than 4,000 kilometres of exist- ing trails. Ultimately, an 11,000-kilometre corridor will be created for snowmobilers in Ontario. "This initiative will help tourist resorts in Ontario become year-round business- es," Martel added. "We will establish ourselves as the world leader in snowmobile trails and provide riders with some of their most unforgettable snow- mobiling experiences." With more than 165,000 OFSC members and other snowmobilers in Ontario, the economic impact after the first year of SNO-TRAC is an esti- mated $10 million. That figure is expected to triple by 1997 with almost 60 per cent of rev- enues coming from American riders. "Our projections show that this funding will have an esti- mated economic impact of $10 million after the first year of SNO-TRAC and some $35 million within five years by increasing tourism expendi- tures by both Ontario and visit- ing snowmobilers," North said. "In addition to the economic benefits, SNO-TRAC will make snowmobiling safer and accessible to more people, especially families." "The sport of snowmobiling has grown to become an impor- tant contributor to the liveli- hood of Ontario's tourism industry," said OFSC President Don Lumley. "This provincial continued on page 10