Citizen Submissions on Enforcement Matters

Canada, Mexico and the United States cooperating to protect North America's shared environment.

Mount Orford Park

Submmission ID: SEM-07-002
Party concerned: Canada
Date filed: 22/02/2007
Status: Closed

Latest update: 12/04/2007
The thirty-day term expired without the Secretariat receiving a submission that conformed to Article 14(1). Under guideline 6.2, the process was therefore terminated.

Summary of the matter addressed in the submission:

The Submitters assert that Canada, and more specifically the province of Quebec, failed to effectively enforce Articles 1, 4 and 5 of its Parks Act (Loi sur les parcs) as well as its Sustainable Development Act (Loi sur le développement durable) by adopting legislation in June 2006 that removed a ski resort and golf course from Mt. Orford National Park, with the intention of offering them for sale.

In SEM-07-002 (Mount Orford Park), the Submitters assert that under Article 1 of the Parks Act, Quebec national parks are established in order to assure the conservation and permanent protection of areas that represent Quebec’s natural regions or of natural areas of exceptional character. They assert that Article 4 of the Parks Act establishes procedures for modifying the boundaries of a national park, including public consultation requirements, and that Article 5 prohibits the sale or exchange of national park lands. They assert that Act 23 (Loi 23), adopted by the Quebec government on 13 June 2006, contravenes Articles 1, 4 and 5 of the Parks Act by modifying the boundaries of Mt. Orford National Park without following required procedures and by allowing park lands containing the ski resort and golf course to be offered for sale. The Submitters assert that Act 23 also contravenes sustainable development principles established in the Sustainable Development Act.

Submitter(s)
SOS Parc Orford, Société pour la nature et les parcs du Canada-SNAP and Nature Québec-UQCN

More about the process
Bringing the Facts to Light
A Guide to Articles 14 and 15 of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation
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Submission timeline

23/02/2007

The Secretariat acknowledged receipt of a submission and began a preliminary analysis of it under the guidelines.
	Submission — Submission authored by Submitter(s) on 22/02/2007
	Acknowledgement — Communication to Submitter(s) authored by Secretariat on 23/02/2007

12/03/2007

The Secretariat notified the submitter(s) that the submission did not meet all of the Article 14(1) criteria and the submitter(s) had 30 days to provide the Secretariat with a revised submission that conforms with Article 14(1).
	Determination — Secretariat Determination under Article 14 (1) authored by Secretariat on 12/03/2007

12/04/2007

The thirty-day term expired without the Secretariat receiving a submission that conformed to Article 14(1). Under guideline 6.2, the process was therefore terminated.