Item - 2015.PE2.1

The Federal Government is establishing a National Urban Park in the Rouge Valley area of Toronto and York and Durham Regions.  The City of Toronto, along with other municipal land holders, has agreed to transfer land to Parks Canada for inclusion in the park.   The House of Commons, for the Government of Canada, has adopted Bill C-40 An Act respecting the Rouge National Urban Park to provide the legal framework to establish and implement the park. Bill C-40 is currently before the Senate for consideration.  Parks Canada has released the draft Rouge National Urban Park Management Plan (RNUPMP) for public input.  The RNUPMP provides the long-term direction for the management and operation of the park under the legislative framework of Bill C-40.  Once Bill C-40 receives Royal Assent, the management plan will be tabled in the House of Commons for information by the Federal Minister of the Environment.

This report responds to City Council's request to address the consistency of the RNUPMP with the environmental policies of existing approved plans that relate to the proposed national park and summarizes staff comments on the RNUPMP and Parks Canada's response.  City staff  recommended:   detailed implementation strategies for natural heritage and archaeology be prepared as part of the park transition phase;  additional information on park governance; reference to the recently executed agreement to collaborate in relation to the Toronto Zoo and proposed Beare Road Park; and additional information on service delivery needs in relation to implementation of the management plan.  Parks Canada has responded that the City's comments will be used to help finalize the management plan for the Rouge National Urban Park, that detailed implementation strategies in support of the management plan will be prepared and that Parks Canada is committed to continuing to work with the City including on park planning, development of implementation strategies, collaboration initiatives and park service delivery.