TORONTO - Ontario's Crown Land Use Atlas was posted on the Internet today for public review. The atlas is a consolidation of existing land use policies that govern activities on a significant portion of the province's Crown land.

"The Crown Land Use Atlas is a valuable tool for making land use policies for Crown lands easily accessible to the public," said Natural Resources Minister Jerry Ouellette. "It's another way we're improving electronic access to government information and services. We encourage the public to review the policies that are contained in the atlas and let us know how the Internet site may be improved."

Recreational users, environmental and conservation groups and resource companies should find the atlas helpful in determining what activities are permitted on individual parcels of Crown land.

The atlas contains land use maps and policies for Crown lands in central and mid-northern Ontario, an area that corresponds mainly to the planning area for Ontario's Living Legacy.

Ontario's Living Legacy is the largest natural heritage program in Ontario's history. This province-wide initiative will create 378 new parks and protected areas and it also protects and enhances fish and wildlife, aids in the recovery of species at risk, and provides jobs for young people in resource stewardship.

In the future, the atlas will be expanded to include all Crown lands in Ontario.

The atlas may be viewed at http://crownlanduseatlas.mnr.gov.on.ca/ and http://www.ontarioslivinglegacy.com/crownlanduseatlas/. Copies of the land use maps and policies, and related information are available for review at most ministry offices. Written comments will be accepted by the ministry for 90 days, until March 10, 2003. Soon after this date, the atlas will become the official source of local land use policies for Crown lands.

Contact:

Gord Prisco
Minister's Office
(416) 314-2212

Denis LeMoire
Ministry of Natural Resources
(705) 755-1483