OR ONCE DEVELOPED, NEVER THE SAME!

The site is visible from Lake Muskoka on the west with the beautiful Henry Marsh and the Great Trail to the north and access is by way of a road off Highway 118 that must be ALIGNED WITH THE APPROVED District of Muskoka WEST TRANSPORTATION BYPASS per an agreement with the developer. (This will bypass downtown businesses and go through wetlands south of Beaumont Road.)

We cannot allow a massive development of high rise buildings, parking lots, roads, dormitory facilities, a sports complex, offices, pavilions, maintenance shop, accessory dwellings, water and sewer infrastructure to be developed in the habitat of the documented 204 species of wildlife, of which 20 are of conservation concern and 7 are threatened or endangered under the Species at Risk Act.  

At the hearing in October 2022, the developer's expert witness admitted and calculated that 30,000 to 50,000 trees would be destroyed, the size of 33 CFL football fields.  This is environmentally irresponsible. 

The development will destroy Provincially Significant wetlands and sensitive species habitat and could lead to increased flooding and habitat fragmentation.

​​IMPORTANT NOTES/FACTS:
  
Ontario’s Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) explicitly states that “development and site alteration” are not permitted in “significant wetlands” in the Ecoregion in which the town of Bracebridge lies.

In addition, the Town of Bracebridge Official Plan requires the Town to identify and confirm wetlands (see Town of Bracebridge Official Plan at B10.7). 

The Town failed to do a wetland evaluation at the request of the public and thousands of signatures from the public presented to the Town of Bracebridge at a Public Meeting.  On June 23, 2023 these wetlands were designated Provincially Significant through an Ontario Wetlands Evaluation paid for by concerned citizens.

No assessment under the Ontario Wetlands Evaluation System (OWES) had ever been undertaken to determine whether the wetlands on the property and adjacent are in fact “significant”. Given that, the Provincial framework specifically prohibits development on significant wetlands, therefore a determination of the status of the Muskoka Royale Development wetlands must be established and made publicly available and was finally completed.  

As per the Town of Bracebridge Environmental Protection Policy[3] the site being considered for rezoning for this development requires an Ontario Wetlands Assessment (OWES) to ensure ecological and natural heritage protection, as well as flood-prevention. According to the PPS, Natural Heritage is to be protected for the long term; 2.1.2 of the PPS states “The diversity and connectivity of natural features in an area, and the long-term ecological function and biodiversity of natural heritage systems, should be maintained, restored or, where possible, improved, recognizing linkages between and among natural heritage features and areas, surface water features and ground water features. 

The Provincial Policy Statement states that Development and site alteration shall not be permitted on adjacent lands to the natural heritage features and areas...unless the ecological function of the adjacent lands has been evaluated and it has been demonstrated that there will be no negative impacts on the natural features or on their ecological functions.

Town of Bracebridge Environmental protection policy: Economic Development Policy Natural Attributes - A7.3.2.3: “To encourage the protection of the Town’s natural attributes, such as its rural character, water quality of its lakes and rivers as well as other natural environmental features in order to ensure that the recreational and tourism uses that rely upon these attributes continue to thrive.”

Proposed Site

Download as PDF

Drone footage of the South Bracebridge Provincially Significant Wetlands where development is proposed - 30,000 to 50,000 trees will be destroyed as estimated by the developer's expert witness.

Environmental Impact Studies (EIS), Peer Review Files, and Letters of Support

The Town of Bracebridge held a Public Meeting on October 27, 2020 
 (Watch the meeting video)
​Click here for the meeting agenda
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The Muskoka Royal Development Inc. is seeking permission from the Town of Bracebridge and the District of Muskoka to rezone 443 acres of untouched wetlands, forest and rock barrens to build a massive 5 precinct, FOUR STORY HIGH international private boarding school in small-town Bracebridge!  This will not only ruin the view-scape from the lake, but ruin the heritage lands and destroy wetlands, forest and species at risk.