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An Ottawa River advocacy group is warning of unintended consequences if the river is designated a national historic site prematurely.
The Council for the Champlain Waterway is calling on the committee pushing for heritage designation and the federal government to exercise sober second thought.
Designating the Ottawa is not as rosy a proposition as it looks, Jack Mackay, the council’s president, said.
“It comes with a whole set of conditions,” said Mr. Mackay. “When you designate a river, it’s not like designating a national park but it has the same kind of trappings.”
While professing to take a neutral position on the issue, the council says it has been approached by stakeholders on the Quebec side of the river who believe economic development could be hindered by the designation. In its mandate, the non-profit organization represents all recreational users on the Ottawa River with an executive that has direct liaison with federal, provincial and municipal levels of government.
The council was not asked to make any submissions to the Ottawa River Heritage Designation Committee during the public consultation phase of the project. Mr. Mackay said some stakeholders have concerns about any strings attached to designation. Potential rules and regulations that come with designation will impact property owners and stakeholders more than municipalities, he added.
“This is where the resistance is,” he remarked. “It’s been a slow process but people don’t know the in’s and out’s. It’s very attractive to a lot of people because there is money available. But this money is focused.”
On Tuesday, Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MP Cheryl Gallant said she wants future development on the river safeguarded and assurances that special interest groups could not use the designation to close down businesses or facilities, such as Atomic Energy of Canada Limited at Chalk River.
Last Friday, Environment Minister John Baird announced he would sign the nomination allowing the designation proposal to be reviewed by the Canadian Heritage Rivers Board of Governors. Should they give their approval, designation would follow in 2009.
Mr. Mackay defended MP Gallant for being cautious. The council has been asked to provide background information to her office.
“She just wants to make people aware of what they’re getting,” he added. “It comes with a price.”
schase@thedailyobserver.ca
Article ID# 1030578